| Lessons from the Vine |
God's amazing grace...........Imagine spending every waking moment living for God, thinking up new ways you want to love, honor, and glorify Him. Imagine devoting all your time and efforts in service to Him and Him alone. How fruitful and meaningful our lives would be.Now, with the above statement in mind, imagine replacing the word "God" with something else. Perhaps it's your spouse or significant other, maybe it's your children, your job, your money, or your possessions. Fill in the blank however you'd like, but truth be told, if it's replacing the Lord in your life then it's called idolatry. God's Word says, "Wherever your treasure is, your heart is there also." He also says we are to have no other god's before him. Years ago, in my final year in college, I became painstakingly aware of the fact the Lord had been placed on the back burner and was I was not allowing Him to be Lord of my life. Although I loved Him, I was not doing so with all my heart, soul, and strength. I was living for me, myself, and I, and was quickly headed toward self-destruction. However, if one were outside looking in, it wouldn't have been all that obvious. My life was "seemingly" perfect. I had a wonderful Christian family. I graduated 6months early and with high honors from the Christian high school I attended. I was dating my high school sweetheart who was soon to become a doctor. I was making deans list in college and was getting ready to complete my last semester before graduation. One might have thought I was on top of the world with a very bright future in store. But in reality, I was miserable. Leading such a "perfect" life was a lot of work and had taken its toll on me. In my obsession with perfectionism, I had fallen prey to an eating disorder. It began quite innocently as an effort to be more healthful but as time went on I became increasingly preoccupied with food, exercise, and the number on the scale. I was so proud of my great control and self discipline. Little did I know that with time, the tables would turn and I would be the one being controlled. The summer before my first year of college, my weight plummeted to an all time low and I could no longer eat without getting sick. My body was beginning to reject anything that had fat in it. It was at this point when I realized things needed to change. I knew that I couldn't keep on this way or my future would be anything but bright. I went to my family doctor who gave me a referral to a nutritionist, as well as a therapist. I followed through with the nutritional counseling. After slowly incorporating nutrition back into my diet, my weight came up a few pounds and so I decided that I was on the road to recovery and hadn't a need for counseling. That fall I began college and I was doing great. I loved my courses and had made some new friends. But before long, I fell back into old habits and was feeling completely overwhelmed. My mind was consumed with thoughts on maintaining my low weight and high grades. It was so time consuming to do both. I realized once again, that this was all I thought about, morning, noon, and night. And in a moment of clarity and complete honesty with myself, I knew God had a better plan for my life. I knew that I would never know what that was if I kept on as I was. I so badly wanted to rely on God and trust Him, but how? This was all I knew for so many years....how would I break these habits that had become so second nature. I was truly broken before the Lord. I felt I was at a moment of crisis and had to make a choice.....my way or His Way? For years I found my security in everything else but Him. I found it in a number on the scale. I found it in making the grade. I found it in a boyfriend whom I cared for deeply , but not enough to marry him. It was time for me to step out of my comfort zone and break free from all things that were familiar. Imagine my parents surprise and concern when I came home one day and told them that I withdrew from all my college classes and broke up with my boyfriend of nearly 6 years. After their initial shock wore off they were able to see that I was serious about getting well. I was simply getting rid of all the things that were hindering me from being all that the Lord had created me to be. I ended up receiving great intervention with a Christian therapist who specialized in cases of my sort and I can't tell you enough how much the Lord used this woman in my life. She will forever hold a special place in my heart. Slowly the Lord began to pick up the pieces of my broken heart and spirit and before long a new creation began to emerge. It wasn't overnight and it wasn't easy....in fact it was the hardest thing that I ever had to endure. Somedays I just wanted to die but He was faithful to complete the good work in which He started. It was in my weakest hour that His power was made complete in me....in other words, I would never have had victory over the sin in my life apart from him....my own efforts had already proved to be fruitless. But praise God, for in His strength, He enabled me to do what I thought was impossible!!! I will forever be grateful to Him and pray that I might be used in the lives of other girls and women who have struggled or are struggling with something similar. My heart is so heavy burdened b/c I want them to know there is hope and that God can perform the same miracle in them, that He's performed in me! 9:46 PM - Aug. 14, 2007 - post comment
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Description Sharing lessons learned from "The Vine" "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Home User Profile Archives Recent Entries - take the time..... - The day that true love died.... - Happy New Year! - Merry Christmas!!!! - I'm still alive..... |