Back To the Light
Do you remember when you were on FIRE for God?
I mean running hard after him and never missing a beat.
Well, What Changed?
What made you lose that bright zeal you had for God? That GLOW UP, that I know I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me (Phillippians 4:13). That quality time you spent with God, the early morning prayers, and late night talks.
Well I can answer it for you, Life Happens.
Work happens, relationships happen, extracurricular activities happen, leisure happens, gym happens, I'll start it tomorrow and still put it off happens
<insert your "life" happens>. We unintentionally lose sight of the time we haven't spent with God and how life happens where we are not standing directly under his light. We are distracted during our GLO(W)RIOUS walk with him.
We know the scriptures, we go to church, but we get so comfortable with the monotonous routines of life that we feel okay with skipping out on that one-on-one time with him. I have been there before and I ask myself and present it to you as well.
How can we get back to that light?
It takes a concerted effort to say to yourself that I am going to make it a priority to build back up my GLOW with Christ. A great reminder is in Matthew 6;30-34 Message.
“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."
God wants us to steep and give our attention to him, our busy lives, and any issues that may come our way. It's imperative that we make it a habit and consistently set aside time to spend with God so that he knows our plans. Jeremiah 29:11 MSG says it best:
"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."
Yet, we have to spend that time with him and communicate what is happening in our lives, sit silently, and hear from him. Here are tips to help us make it a habit to get our LIGHT back.
4 Tips to Make It A Habit:
Commit to 30 Days. I know you've probably heard the saying "it takes 21 days to break a habit." Well, we are shooting to build one. Set aside 30 days to intentionally spend time with God, in his word, and in prayer.
Start Simple. Reading a book a day or a portion of scriptures a day. Journal your reflections. Set aside quiet time to pray.
Make it Daily. It is important to be consistent. Consistency is key to ensure you are forming a habit. Avoid only completing a few days as we are shooting to build a habit of getting back to the light.
Set Reminders. if you are a planner, set a reminder on your phone or write encouraging reminders in your calendar. Check in on yourself at mid-point.
I truly believe making spending that intimate time with God a priority will be rewarding to your heart, soul, and life. Let's get back to the light, that shine that makes others wonder where your GLOW up came from, that unexplainable joy, and a peace that surpasses all understanding.
We do ourselves no justice when we miss out on spending time with the Lord.
With Love,
-Shishandra Devlin
"Embrace God, Love You, & Be Fashioned for Him"