"The Joy and Rejoicing of Mine Heart"

NOTE: Originally intended for January 8, 2015

I want to be temperate, but that is one area where I tend to struggle. For those of you who don't know, temperance often refers to refraining from alcohol, but also means "moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control."[1] I'm neither moderate nor very adept at self-control. I often eat too much (whether vegan or not, too much food isn't good for health) and sleep too much, while I hydrate, exercise, and enjoy sunlight too little. Nevertheless, I know that temperance plays a key role in both physical and spiritual health, and it is a goal I long to reach. We are told that "intemperance lies at the foundation of all the moral evils known to man"[2], so I think I'm on the right track with wanting to fix this situation.

While there has been some progress in the exercise department, I have a long way to go. I knew that somewhere was as good a place to start as anywhere when it came to making more improvement, and I felt impressed to begin with rising and resting early. That sounds easy, right? Yes—except for one thing: I am not a morning person by nature. I enjoy the comforts of a soft bed, especially in the morning; and yet, I was keenly aware of the fact that I would never accomplish what I wanted if I allowed myself to be captive to blankets and pillows.

The night before the starting day, I set out the clothes I would wear on the bench in the bathroom so I could ask someone for them and put them on. That way, I would be less tempted to plod on back to bed after relieving myself. More than that, I prayed. Well, that didn't work out as I planned it would. I had an opportunity to have them, but I passed it by, and returned to the bedroom. The chance was there, but I didn't go to GOD for strength in that moment. The next day, I prayed and asked Him for help, but also determined to make an effort. With my attempts united to His strength, I succeeded. The same with the following day. The day after that my mother was busy and couldn't help me till later, but on the morrow I was again successful.

Today, I didn't feel like getting out of bed. There was the temptation to snuggle down and drift off to sleep again, but I clearly saw what it was, and even though my flesh wanted me to give in, I refused. I prayed, and called for my mom to come and help me. She brought me into the bathroom, and I think she asked, "Do you want the shawl, or do you just want your clothes?"

"Just my clothes," I replied. Since I had forgotten to have someone set them out the night before, she went and got them. I put them on, and began what turned into a productive, enjoyable day. While I can't remember exactly what I said this morning, I remember that on quite a few of the other successful days, I had latched onto Philippians 4:13—"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"—along with praying. I believed it and acted upon it, and thus received the needed strength.

As we saw in my last post, in every command and promise there is the power to fulfill it. Well, I saw that proved again this morning. I'm finding that the Word is indeed powerful (Hebrews 4:12), and that by it I can and have, in a measure, overcome (1 John 2:14). I understand what Jeremiah meant when he said, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart": (Jeremiah 15:16). Such words are not physically eaten, but eaten by reading and applying them to the life through Christ's strength, and it really is a joy.


Blessings,
Jean




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[1] from www.dictionary.com, definition 1


[2] White, Ellen. The Sufferings of Christ, pg. 12