I'm wearing my nurse hat today and administering lots of cough syrup.
If you read my blog Friday, then you'll remember those cold symptoms my youngest daughter Kaiah said she felt. Well, despite all my hope, they were not psychosomatic. My baby girl really was coming down with a cold.
And now, it’s official.
All four of the Hobbs children are sick.
My poor babies! They look and sound so pitiful.
Kenya and I are the only two healthy people left in the Hobbs household. So we’re hoping for the best, though we don’t know whether we’ll be spared or not. Once a virus invades the house, as you know, there’s no predicting how it will impact you.
Sometimes, it passes over. At other times, it clobbers you mercilessly until you succumb. Though I’m hoping for the former, every time one of our infected little ones coughs or sneezes on me, I realize my chances of escaping the plague grow slimmer.
Oh well.
We’ll just have to wait and see then, won’t we? Prayerfully I’ve done a good enough job taking care of my body so that my immune system is strong enough to do its job effectively.
In times like these, I think about the importance of practicing healthy living daily, before the threat of sickness or trouble manifests.
A similar lesson can be applied to our spiritual walk.
If we want to be strong enough to fight in times of trouble, we can’t wait until we see an imminent threat, bad situation, or troubling issue, to begin strengthening our spirit.
Amen?
By then, it’s too late, right?
If we’ve been indulging the flesh, neglecting our relationship with the Lord, and going through life on auto-pilot, there’s no way we’ll be equipped to stand strong when temptation, trouble, and trials come to shake us.
It is crucial that we practice healthy spiritual living each day.
Our spiritual journey is not a joke. Real threats exist. The warning in 1 Peter 5:8b NIV is serious that says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
If we don’t want to be devoured and defeated, we must fortify ourselves by walking closely with God; praying without ceasing; consistently seeking revelation from His word; and being in position to hear what He is saying.
That way, when the enemy comes in, we won’t be bowled over, caught off guard, and pounced on due to lack of readiness. The first part of 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be self-controlled and alert.”
We must pay attention.
And take our spiritual health seriously.
With this in mind, I’m adding “a recipe for spiritual health” to your daily cup of inspiration. It is found in Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV and when you drink it down today, you’ll get everything you need to “stand against the devil’s schemes.” You’ll be strong in the Lord and ready to face whatever life throws your way.
Lord, please help me to internalize the lessons in today’s post so that I won’t fall, compromise, or give in when I am under attack. Help me yield to Your will and do exactly what Your word prescribes. As I obey You, let my spirit be renewed day-by-day, so I will be a vessel of honor to bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
