We are about at the halfway point for the first month of 2016. It’s a great time to reflect on those things we started off the year wanting to accomplish and see where we are. When you look at those goals and resolutions you excitedly set for yourself a few weeks ago can you answer “Yes” to these questions right now? Are you still pushing forward to achieve those goals you set for yourself at the start of the year? Are you still focused on becoming all God has called you to be? If you can’t answer “Yes” then what happened to the excitement and enthusiasm you had?
It’s amazing how many of us will call it quits on reaching our goals only a few short weeks into the New Year. We give up before we ever truly get in the fight. We experience one tough battle and we are ready to throw in the towel. I see this play out many times in the gyms I’ve been a member of. The gym is packed the first few days of the new year as everyone is all excited about the changes they are going to make this year. After a few weeks the fun is gone, the workouts are painful and the results aren’t coming as fast as we wanted. Suddenly the number of people in the gym visibly drops. Do you ever wonder why we give up before we ever really get going? Why do we give up on our dreams when adversity comes? Maybe we weren’t prepared for the battle!
I reflected on the BIG goal I set for myself this year and that was to start this blog and consistently, day after day, write down my thoughts and feelings. I had never done anything like this before so I knew it was going to be tough and challenging. I knew going in some days were going to be tougher than others. I understood from the beginning this would stretch me way outside of my comfort zone. But knowing these things up front allowed me to build a game plan to confront them. It gave me an understanding of where and when I needed to ask my Lord for additional help and strength. I knew there were certain things I needed to consistently “eat” to prepare me for this journey.
Fruits of the Spirit! These are things given to us when we have the Holy Spirit living within us.These are the things we have to lean on when times get tough and we want to give up on achieving those goals. These are the things we can nourish our body with to keep us pushing forward and down the path the Lord has laid out for us.
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” These fruits are there for you to take a bite out of when needed. This “internal Fruit Store” is always there for you and it never runs out. It is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will assist you on your walk in life. You have to go to the “Fruit Store”.
So when you’re feeling down because the weight isn’t coming off like you wanted it to go to your “Fruit Store” and grab a bite of “love”. This will get you back to loving yourself again even if you aren’t where you want to be with your fitness. While you’re at the “Fruit Store” also take a bite of “patience”. This will help you to understand this journey will be a long one but that’s okay because you are still excited to take it.
How about when the goal is to get yourself out of debt but now the credit card bills from the Christmas shopping are coming in? Now you are down and depressed because you are further in debt and don’t see a possible way out. This is the time for you to head to the “Fruit Store” and take a bite of “self-control”. This will help you from going on those spending binges that only give you temporary pleasure. While there also take a bite of “faithfulness” to help you stay in faith with that budget you’ve established for yourself.
Maybe your goal for 2016 is to turn a bad relationship around. You’ve tried and tried over the past few weeks but things aren’t getting any better, as a matter of fact they are worse. It’s time to head to the “Fruit Store” and take a bite of “love”. This is love not only for that other person but love for yourself. What about a bite of “kindness”? Kindness may be what is truly needed to help diffuse a difficult situation. Your act of kindness could bring acts of kindness from that other person. Before you leave the “Fruit Store” grab a bite of “peace”. Peace in our home is the key to keeping it a happy home. You focus on bringing the peace into your home and watch it permeate through everyone in the home.
What an awesome and loving God we have!! He has supplied us with all we need to make it through our trials and tribulations. So let’s pick ourselves up and fight for our goals and dreams. Now is not the time to give up on the hopes and dreams God has placed on your hearts. It’s time to refocus, re-energize and re-attack with the fruit of the “Fruit Store” you have inside of you!!
Truth in Love! ~ Chuck