I’m not saying that I am busier than the average person but lately I find myself being pulled in many directions.  A friend and I were trying to schedule a time when we could get together and it seemed that regardless of the date she called, I was hesitant.   When we finally decided on a day, she remarked “I know how busy you are, so just pencil me in.”  She laughed off the comment, but it did hit close to home because it was true and I had become notorious with those close to me for making tentative plans.  Her comment was further convicting because it made me realize that I was also treating God the same way. I was also penciling Him in and making the daily time that I had committed to spend with Him, tentative.

I confess that I am somewhat of an approval junkie with an addiction for wanting to accommodate everyone.  Because of that I avoid being penned into unbreakable commitments and usually prefer to have the flexibility to rearrange my plans on the go.  What I have learned lately is that saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else.    To be brutally honest, there are times that my relationship with God suffers because I pencil in my devotion time with Him. Have you ever said “No” to God by saying “Yes” to something that infringed on your time with Him? I have.  I didn’t mean to nor did I want to, but I let it happen.  I promised myself that I was going to set aside a particular time to spend with Him only to have that commitment thwarted by something else that really and truly could have waited.  Why did I do it? Was it my lack of discipline or maybe it was my tendency to be a people pleaser?  Whatever it was, the fact of the matter is that I allowed something of lesser value to interfere with something that ultimately will bring the most value to my life – a closer relationship with God.

James 4:8-Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

God has penned my entire life so how on earth could I ever pencil Him in? He has already written the what’s, the how’s, the when’s and the where’s of my life and all He desires is that I daily spend uninterrupted time with Him so that we are on the same page, at all times.

Thank God that our God, in spite of being rescheduled, postponed or even cancelled, does not complain but remains forgiving, loving and faithful.   More importantly He is always accessible; always available and waits patiently to spend time with us.  Relationships come and go but our relationship with God is one that we cannot allow to wither away. It is the most important relationship that we will ever have and should be prioritized and constantly nurtured.

Lord Jesus, please forgive me for not making my special time with you a priority.  Please give me the discipline, the grace and the strength to put my relationship with You above all else and to commit to a daily devotion where I spend time alone with You.

Are you saying “No” to God by saying “Yes” to other things that take your focus away from Him?

The experience was humiliating – to say the least. I sunk down in the chair – deflated; discouraged; depressed. It was my annual performance review with my supervisor and his feedback was far from flattering.  In my position at the firm, I was frequently in the public eye. I represented the company at numerous business and social functions, events and meetings and maintaining a ‘professional’ image was essential.  Due to the pressures in my personal and work-life, I had let myself go and in the process had gained a lot of weight on top of the additional weight I was already carrying. It had become obvious and so I wasn’t surprised when my supervisor alluded to it in my review, respectfully saying that I needed to improve my ‘professional’ image.  The truth is, in my weight gain I had become sloppy in how I presented myself, a reflection of how I was truly feeling on the inside.

I had tried so many times in the past to successfully lose weight. I tried numerous diets and exercise regimens and while I achieved success, it was always short-lived.  Now 100+ pounds overweight, I had become disillusioned. I was at an impasse but I wanted to change – I needed to change.  As a woman with strong faith, I unburdened myself to the Lord, something I had not done in the past regarding this matter.

It was in prayer that the Lord revealed to me, that my undisciplined mindset regarding my health had led me to this juncture.   I made a decision to let go and let God fully control my life, asking Him to renew and reprogram my mindset toward food, fitness and my general wellbeing.

Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

I prayed for a Godly perspective regarding my health and I received it!  I changed my “live to eat” to an “eat to live” mentality, integrated discipline in my eating habits and became physically active. It wasn’t just a diet; it had become a lifestyle due to a changed mindset that bore permanent results. I found myself enjoying a new lifestyle and reaping the benefits of new attitudes that were sown in my transformed mind.

Two and a half years later and 56 pounds lighter, I have gained a whole new lease on life thanks to the mind diet that resulted in positive physical and emotional changes for me. To coin a phrase from Joyce Meyer (www.joycemeyer.org) “I’m not where I need to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be”