Healthy living

I'm sure I heard this analogy somewhere else but it's so true. Prayer and time in the Bible are exactly like eating healthy and exercising. I think about this all the time.

Think about it. You hear about all these magic diets all the time where you don't have to give up the foods you love and you don't have to exercise. Guess what, they don't work. Even if you try them and loose a few pounds, it's only temporary and you're going to end up in maybe even worse shape than you started in. The only way to truly live a healthy life is to combine eating healthy and exercising. Yes, you can be pretty healthy by just eating right. Yes, you can be pretty healthy just exercising. But put those two together and you're unstoppable.

It's exactly the same when it comes to having a real and growing relationship with God. People want to get closer to the Creator by reading a certain book, listening to a certain pastor or speaker. Those things are all good but they aren't a substitute for time studying the Bible and praying. Yes, you can have a pretty healthy relationship with God by just reading the Bible. Yes, you can have a pretty healthy relationship with God by just praying. But put those two together and you're unstoppable. The Bible is our food. Praying is our exercise.

There's no other secret to a good spiritual life. That's it. Plain and simple. Study the Bible. Break it down. Get some notes on what was going on at the time a certain book of the Bible was written so you can better understand the context. See if there's any area of your life you can apply what you're reading to. If you don't see anything, just keep it in mind for the future.

Turn around and pray. Tell God thank you for the breath you're breathing. Tell Him thank you for anything and everything. When you feel like you don't have anything to be thankful for, thank Him for paying the price through the death of His Son so that you can even be talking to Him and have Him listen. Tell Him what's going on in your heart. Tell Him what you're feeling, what you're thinking. And just like you would in any other relationship, let Him respond and listen. It's hard to understand His voice right away. When my best friend and I were starting to get to know one another in jr. high, before the days of caller i.d., I'd have to ask who was on the other line when she called. After talking to her for a while, I recognized her voice right away. It's the same with God. The more you talk and listen, the quicker you'll recognize His voice.

When we're healthy in our relationship with God, we're healthy in life. Life's not easier, make not mistake, it's just better. He is our peace.

It's 10:06 p.m. and Georgia is still singing in her bed. The girl is a night owl!!