Are you disciplining yourself?

"But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." (1 Corinthians 9:27, ESV)

Well, after that challenging verse, "Good morning!" haha. I guess that's not the easiest thing to read in the Bible. But you know the feeling when you're lying on the couch after a delicious holiday dinner, your stomach is nice and full, and you're satisfied and happy? I believe you can experience those kinds of feelings in your relationship with Jesus if you're willing to be stretched by some challenging questions. Are you ready? :-)

We really long to hear from God, but we often say we're not hearing or feeling Him, right? I'd like to offer you a new perspective based on some things I've discovered...

Are these things preventing you from experiencing God in your everyday life?

• Distractions: You always have something to do (something more important?). No distraction is so big that you can't say NO (see 1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV).
• Emotions: "I don't feel like it right now." God wants to help you learn to control your emotions (see Galatians 5:16, NIV).
• Doubts: "God can't want me." You must finally choose to believe how important you are to God (see Matthew 6:26, NIV, "'...are you not much more valuable than they?'")

Now let's read the verse again that I mentioned at the beginning, "But I discipline my body and keep it under control…" You must be willing to discipline yourself in order to get rid of these distractions, emotions, and doubts. You'll then experience the fullness that God has in store for you!

And don't worry. God will give you strength as you choose to discipline yourself: "They go from strength to strength..." (Psalm 84:7, NIV).

The question for you is simply, "Are you willing to discipline yourself and thereby receive an open ear to God who is speaking to you?" I believe this will help answer your question, "Where are You, God?"

You're a miracle!

Dèborah Rosenkrantz