The question cut straight to my heart.
I once attended a training session—and had my “spiritual leader” cover blown. As I progressed through a workbook on how to lead small group studies, I came to the topic of life-controlling issues. The question in the book was “What is a life-controlling issue?" The answer was, “Anything we turn to rather than the Lord.”
The answer hurt because, due to circumstances beyond my control, I had been on what I called a “food rampage.” I have always been a stress eater and given myself permission to handle my stress with food. Others use such things as alcohol, drugs, sex, work, sleep, or exercise.
The prophet Jeremiah says the answer to stress is seeking the Lord with all of our hearts. Never are we told the answer lies in self-chosen stress relievers.
I had to stop my food rampage, admit to myself that my sin was no laughing matter, confess my sin to the Lord, turn my face to the Father, and seek His response. For me, listening is difficult. I am a talker … full of advice. Part of seeking God is reading His Word—words He wrote just for us.
God wants us to confess our stress relievers—the things we turn to before turning to Him. He also wants us to seek Him by spending time renewing our love affair with Him. He is waiting. He is full of forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
Seek God with your whole heart. When you do, you will find Him and all that He is. He promises.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Susan Paulus is the mother of three adult daughters and grandmother to nine and has been married for over 60 years. She loves her part-time job at her small church in Northwest Ohio, is challenged by the two writers' groups she attends, and loves remembering she was led to the Lord in the mid 1970's by a woman who prayed, "Lord, use me."