Gratitude. That's the first thing I thought of today as I read the devotional about sacrifice. We, in America, are so blessed. We have a freedom to choose, a freedom of speech and a freedom to worship how we desire.
That isn't the case for many other countries. Many people sacrifice their safety just to be able to worship God. Isn't that crazy? We just go through our lives taking it for granted. Taking most of our "deeply rooted comforts" for granted.
In this reading by Rick Warren, in the Daniel Plan 365-Day Devotional, I was reminded that very rarely (well never, really) do I need to risk my life to service God. Yet, I find it very hard to give up the things in my life that are "comfortable."
Almost four years ago, I heard a podcast by Rick Warren that reminded me that I have a temple that God has given me, my body, and that gluttony and drunkenness are a sin, just like murder and adultery. That no sin was any greater than any other. It hit me with such force that I knew I had to release the "comfort" of food and alcohol and put it in its place. Not that I really abused alcohol, but there were times that I can say I definitely had too much. Food on the other hand...definitely a "comfort," which I abused greatly. My body was unhealthy and I ate for my enjoyment, not to nourish my body, which is here to serve God.
I had to make a choice. If I wanted to be a healthy version of myself, not a burden to others as I get older and less mobile, I had to change. After all, is that such a hard sacrifice compared to what others have to make to serve God? Just out of a courtesy to my own family, I needed to be courageous and not let my "deeply rooted patterns of comfort" win out in the battle.
Everyone has their own "patterns of comfort." Mine just happened to be food, along with a bit of laziness to exercise. I thank God that He gave me the chance to make that right. I could have really destroyed this temple I have been given. I would say to you - it is NEVER TOO LATE to start ridding yourself of whatever "patterns of comfort" you have been living with. Afterall, mine were 50 years deep!
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