Nibbling on Crumbs

Experts say that eating deep fried food and processed & refined food provide us with empty calories, leading to malnutrition which results in fatigue, headaches, obesity, allergies, diabetes, chronic conditions and a host of other diseases & illnesses. Even though we may know this, it may not translate into making healthier choices because we have reasons (excuses) for not making the healthier choices. For example, those chocolate glazed donuts are completely unhealthy, but they taste SO GOOD and I didn't have time to eat breakfast.  Or, we are pushed for time, have places to go, people to see – don’t have to time to fix anything, so we drive through a fast food place and just grab something quick. There are a multitude of excuses why we choose to eat what we eat – it’s convenient, it’s satisfies our cravings, it’s quick, it’s the path of least resistance with the kids, it’s inexpensive, etc – the list goes on and on.

There are similarities between our physical health and our spiritual health. Unfortunately, I believe many have become “fast-food Christians”. We have such fast-paced and demanding lifestyles. Our spiritual nutrition has been depleted. Perhaps we get nourishment from a Christian radio station, Sunday morning worship, a 5 minute devotional or a “nice” thought of the day from someone’s status on Facebook. We get our “quick fix”, shoot up a prayer towards heaven and go about our busy schedule, mentally checking off that chore for the day. By doing this, we are nibbling on crumbs and starving in our spiritual lives. We are weak and over-ridden with spiritual chronic conditions and fatigued in our spiritual walk. We may even be to the point of suffering from unrecognized spiritual diseases.

Just like starting a healthy lifestyle requires eliminating unhealthy foods and returning to whole foods, it’s time to get back to the basics in our spiritual life. The junk food that is bringing Christians down is similar to the junk food we physically consuming out of convenience or stress. 

TV, Reality Shows (we spend an hour watching someone else live their lives instead of living our own), magazines & books, news, Facebook/internet, friends, radio, all of these feed us – but are they calorie rich with positive nutrition that feeds the mind of Christ? If not, it’s spiritual junk food and robbing us of our strength. Instead of focusing on that detox cleanse to fit into our summer clothes, maybe we should be more concerned with doing a spiritual cleanse and ridding our lives of the all the sludge that is needlessly pulling us down, cluttering our spiritual digestion and stealing the real nutrition out of our lives.

We need to get back to the basic and open our Bible. Spend time reading the unaltered, 100% organic, no preservatives or synthetics, super-nutritional-powerhouse of God’s Word that your heart is dying for. Devotionals are good – but they do not replace God’s Word. Christian radio is inspirational but does not replace God’s Word. Sunday morning worship is awesome but does not replace a real, personal relationship with God.

God wants each and every one of us to be successful. His desire for us is that we thrive, have the desires of our hearts and are satisfied.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

He can’t fulfill His wants & desires in us, until we put our wants & desires back in Him. Nothing- NOTHING – is more important to me than that daily walk with my Lord. I hunger for it; it is the highlight of my day and provides the foundation for everything I do. 

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16

Without that one-on-one time reading and praying, building that personal relationship with my God – I don’t have the strength to resist temptation, the courage to share, the wisdom to inspire, the patience to train, the joy to overcome, the confidence to persist, the power to do what is right. 

Overtime, we become crippled with dissatisfaction and discouragement. We develop chronic conditions of stress, anxiety, discontentment, and fatigue and am diseased with addictions, envy, jealousy, lazy, bitterness, and resentment. This doesn’t have to be. Anything worth having takes time and effort. Just like developing a healthier lifestyle where we start by cleaning out our food pantry, we have to clean out our spiritual pantry – get rid of the junk and processed stuff that satisfies the fleshly desires but has no spiritual value. 

"For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness."Psalm 107:9

I want to encourage you to do a spiritual “detox cleanse” and get rid of the sludge that has taken residence in our spiritual digestive track. Those TV shows, gossiping with a friend, comparing ourselves to others, resentment, envy, unforgiveness,… etc. Get rid of the stuff that is making your life so busy, “You just don’t have time”.

In the book, “Simplify” by Bill Hybel, it stresses the importance of writing out a daily schedule.  You are more likely to accomplish those things you physically write down. Whatever time you wake up in the morning, wake up 15-30 minutes earlier. Schedule the time you need to start your day in God’s Word. It is essential to our success to make time to read God’s Word and pray. It will prepare you for your day and provide you with the strength and wisdom you need to accomplish all that He has planned for you. If you don't know where to start, here are 5 great steps to make Bible reading simple and consistent.

Similar to a learning to live a healthier lifestyle, this does not happen overnight. It takes time, it takes effort and it takes passion to stick with it. Just as eating processed and nutritionally cheap food now will lead to a higher price to be paid later in chronic conditions, disease and illness; so our spiritual lives will also follow the same pattern. We can’t afford NOT to spend the time to develop and spiritually nourish ourselves. We didn’t become weak & diseased overnight. Focus on today – start where you are. Stop starving on crumbs and pull your chair up and FEAST at God's abundant table!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Matthew 5:6

“If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26