Last night I got so sick out of the blue. Ever since Thanksgiving, I must admit, I have drastically changed up my diet, allowing myself to eat things I don't ordinarily eat. Well, I guess last night was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I had no idea that, shortly after I indulged in pizza and Pepsi(My most guilty pleasure), I was about to go through a horrible ordeal that let me know my body finally had taken all it could take.
I'll spare you the grotesque details of what happened next, but let's just say, today, I'm turning over a new leaf! It's back to the fruits, veggies, chicken, fish and no fried foods for me. Pray for me that I can put the "bottle" down and stay clean and sober from my favorite soda. We all have a vice; it's fair to say, a cold tall glass of Pepsi is mine.
Well, after my symptoms subsided at about 11:30PM last evening, although my stomach is still a bit unsettled, my husband Kenya remarked half jokingly, "Girl, you know you're getting older now and your system can't take all that."
"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny," I responded, grinning a bit sarcastically, although there is a modicum of truth to what He said. When I was a teenager, I loved to eat large quantities of fried food, an abundance of pork, chips, candy, soda and anything that should've had a warning label slapped on it that said, "This runs the risk of killing you if you keep eating it." Yep, those were the things that made it onto my preferred eating list and didn't bother me at all. Ever.
But, these days, those old habits wreak havoc on me if I revert back to them. I've found that certain foods don't agree with my system any longer and when I override my regular healthy eating habits for an extended period of time, like last night, boy do I pay for it... dearly.
Similarly, in our walk with God, there are old patterns of behavior, ways of thinking and acting, that we once tolerated. But now, in our more mature state, they don't agree with us. Whenever we try to go back to the way things used to be, it just doesn't work.
I'll give you an example. Have you ever re-connected with an old friend, love interest, associate or acquaintance after years of not seeing them, only to discover that, what once once drew you to that person, now repels you? Your old running mate still frequents the same places, runs in the same circle and exhibits the same traits from "back in the day," that you've since walked away from and turned over a new leaf.
If you can relate to this, you know that something recoils in you and rejects those old ideas, philosophies and behaviors. It's not that you don't still love the person, they just no longer "agree with your system."
And that's OK. It's actually a good thing, because it shows signs of growth and maturity.
As you're reading this post, I encourage you not to be afraid to embrace change. If God has grown you up and moved you past certain vices, don't look back. Keep moving forward, because if you go against what you know you ought be doing, you only end up hurting yourself. Your old vice might be over-spending, jumping into new relationships too quickly, acting as an enabler for someone you know needs to get their act together, saying yes too often and not standing up for yourself, slacking off in prayer and studying the word, or even being a hot head or too quick to say what's on your mind.
Whatever it is, if God set you free from it, stay free. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1).
The next time something is presented to you that you know upsets the balance of your life and goes against your divinely inspired vision and mission, reject it. You might be misunderstood. You might have to walk away from some old relationships and break some ties. Still, it's better to walk alone than to go along to get along, and ultimately end up suffering immensely behind the decision.
What happened to me last night, is a good example of why you should never betray your convictions. When you do, at some point, you'll end up paying for it. I admonish you to be vigilant and steadfast along the course God has set for you. When you do, you'll reap the rewards and harvest, while avoiding otherwise unpleasant consequences.
Remember, rejection is a good thing.
When you, with consistency, reject the wrong path, your decision leads you on the right path toward your divine destiny... which is what we're all striving for.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
