So, I've had a couple issues on my heart lately.
The first is my devotions. I've tried really hard to make a point of doing devos every morning, but half the time, I couldn't even tell you what I read that morning. In which case, I'm just wasting my time! What's the point of doing devos and trying to spend time with God if I'm not allowing it to change my life. It would probably help if I was making time to read my Bible, too, instead of just the devo book, but I don't know where to find the time! I barely have time to do my devo book in the mornings. By the time I get up, shower, and do everything else, I just don't have time! I guess I need to start getting up earlier, but I'm not exactly a morning person, and now I seem to be on a schedule. I get up at the same time every day regardless of when I set my alarm. lol. So. I guess that's my latest assignment, because, truly, what is the point of doing devos and spending time with God if I'm not making a real, honest effort to really READ, and to allow what I read to change my life, to allow GOD to change my life, through His Word. If I'm not allowing for that, I'm just wasting my time.
The other thing on my mind lately has been purity. We put a lot on bodily purity, because that's what people see, but I think we miss a lot of times, mental purity, spiritual purity. I'm starting to realize that purity is almost an attitude, in addition to a commitment and obviously, keeping your body pure and saving yourself for marriage. But I know girls who've "saved themselves" who haven't gone "all the way" but does that mean they're virgins? I mean, yeah, they're virgins; they haven't had sex. But emotionally, spiritually, are they virgins? What's the difference between what they're doing and just doing it? It was in my devo book a while back, actually, which is probably what got me thinking about it, and it used this analogy. Two couples are at a party, and one couple is just outright having sex, and the couple in the next bedroom is doing "everything but." And so it's not like God looks down and says "Wow, look at that couple. They're sure pure." It's basically the same thing. Because purity has to be a condition of the heart, as much as a condition of the body. I feel like it almost has to do more deeply with the heart than with the body, because if you've committed adultery and had sex outside of marriage, but you come to Christ, God forgives you, and He makes you new again, in which case, your BODY is still no longer a virgin, but hopefully heart-wise and certainly spiritually, in the eyes of God, you are considered pure. And if we're looking at it that way, I guess I feel like it's almost certainly an attitude and a pledge, as much as just keeping your body "pure."
I hope that makes sense to you guys, but I guess those are just the thoughts that have been rolling around in my head this past week or so.
Much love!
xoxo,
Erika Rose <3
Great thoughts Erika....one thing that someone once said to me about devotions. Look at it as a date you spend with God. Just like time you spend with your friends. My guess is that the days you don't get anything out of it, you probably get more out of it then you think. Perhaps just sitting quiet and letting God talk to your heart? Or maybe you could do the devotion book one day, read your bible the next, spend the next day in prayer, etc? Something like that. Lisa Welchel talks about how she thinks that God understands the lives of a busy mom and will take every moment that we give to him. So I find myself praying in the shower or while I make the beds. I think if we do small moments throughout the day we might be surprised at how they add up. And I usually feel like those small moments bringing me closer to God than one big moment does anyway.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, love reading your thoughts!! Can't wait to see what you write next. :)