(Beginning August 1, the content of my blog will be completely different from the Girlfriends in God devotions. So if you are not signed up for my blog at www.localhost/sjold, please do it today…and invite all your friends. We’re going to have more give-a-ways, more personal interaction, and more inspiration than every before! Now, on to today’s story!)
“…train yourself to be godly,” (1Timothy 4:7 NIV).
It was hot. The traffic was heavy. I was young and distracted.
I was driving alone in the flow of vacationer traffic traveling to and from the North Carolina coast. I was in the group headed for home. The July traffic was bumper-to-bumper, with everyone going faster than the posted speed limit.
I had other things on my mind besides maneuvering in traffic and was paying little attention to the cars around me. (OK, inside scoop. My boyfriend and I had just broken up. Crying my twenty-year-old eyes out.)
Traveling 60 miles per hour in my sporty two-tone Pontiac Sunbird, I felt my front right tire slip off of the asphalt and onto the gravel shoulder of the road. In a flood of panic, I heard the voice of my driver’s ed teacher from four years before, “If you run off the road, do not, and I repeat, do not jerk your car back on the road. Slow to a stop and then gently guide the car back on the road.”
My mind knew the rule. I was even repeating, “Do not jerk the car. Do not jerk the car.” Then I promptly jerked the car. I pulled the steering wheel to the left, jerked the car onto the road, and lost control. First the Sunbird flew across two lanes of traffic to the left and then, after over-correcting again, she flew back off the road to the right. As if in slow motion, the car began a descent down an embankment.
The weight of the car became unbalanced and began to roll like a toy tossed by an angry child. As the car somersaulted down the embankment, my body tossed and tumbled like a rag doll, bouncing around the car’s interior. The seatbelt law wasn’t in effect yet, and I wasn’t wearing mine. When the car landed upside down at the bottom of the embankment, I was sitting on the ceiling on the passenger’s side.
Travelers watched aghast as the scenario played out before them. You can imagine how amazed they were to see me crawl out of the car’s open window without a scratch, holding my Jade plant I had purchased the day before. I knew, without a doubt, that I should not have lived through that accident. It was only by the grace of God that I survived.
Thinking back on that event, I am reminded how powerful reflexes are. When the car veered off the road, I knew what to do, but I did the opposite. I knew not to jerk the steering wheel, but I did it anyway.
Sometimes we know in our heads what we are supposed to do, but the reflexes of old programming overcome reason. The Bible tells us that when we come to Christ, we are a new a creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). However, no one pushes the delete button to erase old habit patterns that have been formed over time. [tweetherder]Only through prayer and practice can we retrain our old ways and habits to form new godly reflexes that will reflect the nature of Christ.[/tweetherder]
What knee jerk reaction are you trying to overcome today? Words? Anger? Eating? Shopping? (OK, now this is getting personal!)
Want More?
How are your knee jerk reactions? What is your emotional default mode? If you would like to learn how to act like the new creation the Bible says you are, then check out my book, Becoming Spiritually Beautiful: Seeing Yourself as God Sees You. It will help you to learn how to live fully and free!
Comments 8
You know. Everyone is different. How do you know that what helped you live a joyful life will work for others? I guess my ugly negativity is coming out! Its so hard to even breathe, you know the daily day to day have tos.
I think it more about believing what Jesus says “works” to give us joy than what other people say will bring us joy.
AMAZING! God definitely speaks. Only through prayer and practice we are really able to reach our maximum expression in Christ. As for me. Sexual integrity has been all my heart has longed for and claiming my freedom everyday through the message of the cross and practicing the Scriptures’ principles I have been able to succeed many times. Blessings!
I’ll be honest old habits die hard. I still have the habit of letting anger and frustration get the best of me. Words come out that sometimes shouldn’t. I confess. I also look for ways to stop these habits. I have been much better lately.
That’s all I’m going to share there are others but that’s enough.
Thanks for this post it sure put a light on for me.
7-11-2013 GIG
This is my first comment ever on any blog. I just felt the need to share/write. To your question Ms. Sharon “Why do you think believers continue to rummage around trying to find fulfillment rather than experiencing the abundant life Jesus came to give?”
Because we still live in the WORLD simply put. We are and for ourselves and living for us instead of the word of the Lord. Maybe not completely, but part of us still fall into the category of the secular rim of “style of living.”. I can honestly say, I do it, even though I don’t want to. Luckily I will get convicted , see the error, thank The Lord for discernment and move forward. Yet in still I find myself doing it. Again. From shopping (even if its all clearance) i have to be reminded of scripture regarding ,(the lord is my Shepard I shall not want) getting the last word, (have to quote scripture about guarding my tongue) falling and recognizing that I was pleasing me chasing my desires and wants (then I have to go back to scripture regarding “seek ye first the kingdom of God)
Anyways…. I’m thankful for grace and mercy. GIG readings and my real GIG that keep me in prayer. May God continue to bless us all.
I think it’s because we fall for the temptation the enemy sends–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–to take our eyes off of Jesus. Of course it is disguised by him showing us what others have or what others can do. Then we start to look at ourselves and say “I don’t have that or I’m not able to do that.” We forget what God has already done for us and it becomes “humph”. The same can happen when we are going through trials–we think that other people have it easier or seem to bounce back more quickly. We feel sorry for ourselves and forget whose we are. It’s a design of the enemy to take our trust from God and put it into things or ourselves. Then we begin to seek ways to have what it looks like others have or to be able to do what we see others doing–only to discover or rediscover that God is our source–no matter what it looks like or feels like. God provides for his children–he’s met our past needs and he’ll meet our present and future needs. I believe the solution is in realizing that we must earnestly contend for the faith, fight the good fight of faith, and we must do this daily–because the devil is constantly trying to distract and draw away. I think we mess up when we think that we have arrived and we forget to cover ourselves with our armor: the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and use that sword of the spirit! With all that armor on, it’s got to be pretty hard to forget that everything we need God will provide. Bless you for this wonderful, though-provoking devotional.
dear sharon; what have i always wanted? peace of mind ; what has Jesus given me? nice place to live good son car friends and good church. ; why do you think believers continue to rummage around trying to find fulfillment rather than experiancing the abundant life Jesus came to give? i believe they are looking for a quick fix. i have done that recently but when i came to my senses, i realized that the only fulfillment i have is in Jesus. love connie
This week I am on a much needed vacation with extended family, hubby, kids, & pets @ a beautiful lakehouse! It is time to relax /let my hair down /chill……..this devotion today is a super reminder for me to stay CLOSE. to my Father & to Jesus my SAVIOR. Iamb on guard. THANK YOU. Sharon for this reminder!