Addiction

The other day, a close friend mentioned to me that there was something in her life that could be becoming an addiction, or an idol, for her.  Now, this “thing” isn’t inherently sinful.  In fact, its actually very healthy!  But, being a godly woman, she was concerned with the amount of time she was spending on it.  This made me think about addiction.  How do we know, as Christians, when something is becoming an addiction, a stronghold, an idol in our lives?  Well, I have a little personal experience in this area.  I have, what I believe to be, an addictive personality.  I mean by this, that I have a tendency to place too much time into certain hobbies or activities.  Care for an example? Well, Facebook is a pretty good one!  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE Facebook!  Seriously!  I love being able to keep in touch with friends & family!  I love being able to share pictures of my baby!  Its wonderful! – And not inherently sinful.  But, if I begin to put a certain importance on Facebook that it doesn’t deserve, then I’m getting into troubled territory.  And I’ve been DEEP in that territory people!

So, how do you evaluate a certain behavior to determine whether or not its addictive?  Well, recently the Holy Spirit has revealed some questions to me that I would like to share with all of you.  (I will be using Facebook as an example, since that is one of the specific areas the Lord is working on in my life.)  If you begin to feel convicted about any of your own behaviors while reading this post, well, JOIN THE CLUB!!!  J

So, back to these questions!  Question #1 is, of course, “Am I putting this activity (facebook, basketball, running, watching tv, whatever it is) before my relationship with the Lord.  Now, everybody reading this blog just said, “Tell me something I don’t know!”  J We’ve all heard this before in every sermon on idols. “Am I fishing when I should be in church?” “Am I watching tv when I should be doing my Bible study?”  But, I think to evaluate whether something is an addiction, we need to dig deeper.

That leads me to question #2 – “Am I putting this activity above my God-ordained responsibilities?”  What do I mean by that? To figure that out you have to first think about what your God-ordained responsibilities are.  In my case, I am a stay-at-home wife and mother.  My God-ordained responsibilities include: caring for and serving my husband and my daughter, making meals, keeping the house in order, among many other things!  (We all have certain things that God expects us to do.  We should be in church, fellowshipping with other believers & worshipping God.  We should also be doing our best at whatever job God has given us, etc.)  So, am I on Facebook when I should be vacuuming or making dinner?  Do I neglect things because of Facebook?  Are there dirty dishes in the sink?  Did I put off the grocery shopping today because I just couldn’t get away from the computer long enough?

Question #3 – Do I do things late because of this particular activity?  Was dinner late tonight because I was on Facebook too long?  Did I feed M 10 minutes late because I just couldn’t break away from what I was reading?  If, so, then I am putting Facebook (insert your own activity here) above the needs of my family.  I’m saying that being on Facebook is more important that feeding my daughter on time or making my husband’s dinner on time.

Question #4 – Do I find myself getting angry or annoyed with others if they interfere with my ability to do this activity?  Do I get angry with my husband if he needs to use my computer?  Do I get annoyed with M for crying or making noise while I’m trying to read or write to someone on Facebook?  Here’s one for you!  When the internet goes out, am I short with the customer service person on the phone or the technician that comes to my home because I’m annoyed about being inconvenienced?

Question #5 – Am I using this activity for sinful purposes?  As Facebook is my example, I will say again, I LOVE Facebook!   It’s a great tool!  But am I ever using it in an ungodly way?  Am I using it as a tool to gossip about others?  Do I say things on Facebook that I shouldn’t?  (I have to say, I’ve noticed A LOT of this on Facebook.  People seem to feel more at ease saying things that may be hurtful to others because they aren’t face-to-face.)  We need to remember that God sees our Facebook page just as clearly as He hears our conversations!  Am I saying things on Facebook that aren’t pleasing to the Lord?

Lastly, Question #6 – If I have free time to spend on Facebook, would it be better spent serving my family?  Could I surprise my husband with cookies instead of spending 30 minutes on Facebook?  Could I spend a little extra time playing with M?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, well, you’re in the club with me!  Now, through the Holy Spirit’s power, let’s break those chains of addiction & get rid of those strongholds!  J

Oh my word! I have a Blog!

     Yep!  That's right!  For those of you who couldn't imagine me talking any more than I already do, I now have a blog!  But fear not!  This actually works out great for you!  If you don't feel like listening to me ramble on, all you have to do is close your internet window.  (Don't worry.  I won't hold it against you.)
     Anyway, for my first blog post I'd like to give a few "shout outs."  Firstly, to my sister-in-law Erin who has inspired me to begin my own blog. Erin's been blogging for quite some time now & she's a pro!  I always enjoy reading her blog because she's not afraid to discuss what God is doing in her life.  Sometimes she even blogs about how she has made mistakes in her daily walk with the Lord!  Can you believe that!  But I really love those blogs in particular because they make me feel like I'm not alone. :)  I kind of look up to Erin as a spiritual example. Sometimes I get the feeling that she's the perfect Proverbs 31 Woman. (She probably just did a spit take while reading this.) But she's not "trying" to be seen. She's just trying to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. So its kind of comfotring to hear her say "Hey, I struggle with this."  I hope my blog can be that sort of help to someone else.
     Secondly, I'd like to send a "shout out" to my friend Tara.  Tara and I went to high school together, but oddly enough, we were never as close in high school as we have become on Facebook over the past year.  Tara is a wife and mother & also a fellow blogger.  She loves to blog about new recipes she's trying & I love to read about them!  I am constantly "facebook stalking" her to see if she has updated her blog with a new recipe!  She also enjoys discussing what God is doing in her life and so she has been another big encouragement to me in my spiritual life.
     My third and final "shout out" is to my "sister-in-law once removed" - Jennifer.  Jennifer is Erin's sister and, therefore, she's not actually related to me.  But "my sister-in-law's sister" is a term that just doesn't seem to do her justice.  Its so impersonal.  And if Jennifer is anything, she's personable! ;)  She really feels like family, so I've decided to call her my "sister-in-law once removed."
     Anyway, Jennifer is also a fellow blogger and I really enjoy reading her blog! She has young children, so I love to read her blog to see what I have to look forward to in the future (and what I should be forewarned of).  She's also incredibly creative in her activities with her kids.  Jennifer, I plan to shamelessly steal ideas from you that I can use with M! ;)

"Little Christ" or "Little Satan"?

As I said before, my sister-in-law and I have been doing a daily Bible Study together.  Every morning we read our Bible verses and the lesson for the day and then we email each other our thoughts.  This has been such a life changing experience!  Daily Bible study has been something I have ALWAYS struggled with.  This daily accountability - and daily encouragement - has been truly incredible!  Thanks E, for being willing to share what the Lord is doing in your life with me & for being willing to listen to what He is doing in my life!  For everyone else listening, I encourage you to get a Bible study partner -even if they are out of town. An email Bible study is much better than none at all!  Plus, if you happen to be distracted or have difficulty concentrating because something is going on, you can always go back and read the email again later.

     Now on to my new post!  :) Today's Bible study was particularly convicting.  The topic ... sins of the tongue.  Ouch!  If you know me, you know this one hits home!  I LOVE to talk!  I'm a pretty friendly person I think.  I mean, for crying out loud, I can make a new best friend in the grocery store check-out line in three and a half minutes!  The tongue is great!  Its definitely a gift that can be used for God's glory.  Unfortunately, it can also be used for sin - A LOT OF SIN.  Proverbs 10:19 says "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin..."  Or, in other words, the more you say, the higher your chances of sinning.  Ouch!  Boy do I know that to be true!

     So, what do we think of when we think of "sins of the tongue?"  Well, one thing that was discussed in our Bible study today was "slander," or, as we so lovingly like to say, "gossip."  Come on, "gossip" doesn't sound as bad as "slander" right?  Sounds sort of harmless, kinda like the phrase "little white lie."  But gossip, or slander, is not harmless.  Titus 2:3 says, "The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not FALSE ACCUSERS, not given to much wine, teachers of good things."  That term "false accusers" is the same word as "slanderers."  Now, here's where it gets REALLY SCARY. - If you have a concordance, you can look the word "slander" up.  Guess what the Greek word for "slander” is – “DIABOLOS.”  Sound familiar?  Well, if you ever took Spanish, you know the Spanish word for “devil” is “diablo.” Don’t feel bad if you never took Spanish.  I won’t think any less of you.  Although, it really is a wonderful language to learn!  But, if per chance, you speak no Spanish, that’s OK.  You should still recognize this word as similar to our English word “diabolic.”  Now, does that sound harmless to you?  Being a slanderer – or gossip – is diabolic.  DIABOLIC!  And what does “diabolic” mean?  Well, I’m sure you can guess!  “Diabolic” means “characteristic of the Devil, or so evil as to recall the Devil.”  Did you get that?  Every time we slander or gossip about someone we are behaving JUST LIKE Satan himself!  I don’t know about you, but that scares me to death!  I definitely don’t want to be like Satan.  I call myself a “Christian,” which literally means “little Christ.”  But when I gossip about someone, I am not acting like a “little Christ” but like a “little Satan.”  That’s a painful sentence to even write!

     So, what do we do?  Well, we “put off slander, gossip.”  And what do we replace with?  Well, if I’m not gonna be like Satan, I’d really like to be like Christ!  I John 2:1 says, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.  But if anyone does sin, we have an ADVOCATE with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”  You see, Satan is the chief of accusers, the head slanderer, but Jesus Christ has taken the opposite position.  He is our advocate, or defender, speaking to us and about us with love and kindness.  This is how we should live.  This is how we should speak of others.  My sister-in-law shared this quote with me today:

 (it was said of M'Cheyne)...

"When a fellow Christian's name was mentioned in company, if he could not say anything good about him, he would refrain from all speech about him. Better that than to destroy a brother for whom Christ died."

Wow!  How powerful is that!  How dare I slander or gossip about someone for whom Christ died!  I don’t what that to characterize me.  I want to be known as an advocate, a defender, not a slanderer or gossip.  I want to be known as a “little Christ” not a “little Satan.”

     I’d like to leave you with an encouraging thought – the KING OF KINGS, the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, the LAMB OF GOD took it upon HIMSELF to be your advocate.  He didn’t delegate this job to the angels or anyone else.   HE HIMSELF took the position as your defense attorney.  Think about that!  Oh,  how He loves you and me!!!

     And finally, and this one is for you Mrs. Bohler, I leave you with one of the most incredible, encouraging poems I have ever read:

My Advocate

By: Martha Snell Nicholson

I sinned. And straightway, posthaste, Satan flew

Before the presence of the most High God,

And made a railing accusation there.

He said, “This soul, this thing of clay and sod,

Has sinned. ‘Tis true that he has named Thy Name,

But I demand his death, for Thou has said,

‘The soul that sinneth, it shall die.’

Shall not Thy sentence be fulfilled? Is justice dead'

Send now this wretched sinner to his doom.

What other thing can righteous ruler do?”

And thus he did accuse me day and night,

And every word he spoke, O God, was true!

Then quickly One rose up from God’s right hand,

Before whose glory angels veiled their eyes.

He spoke, “Each jot and tittle of the law

Must be fulfilled; the guilty sinner dies!

But wait—suppose his guilt were all transferred

To Me, and that I paid his penalty!

Behold My hands, My side, My feet! One day

I was made sin for him, and died that he

Might be presented faultless at Thy throne!”

And Satan fled away. Full well he knew

That he could not prevail against such love,

For every word my dear Lord spoke was true!