the only good obsession

You know, there is something, perhaps many things that we all obsess over every day. Some may appear good...but I would venture to say that most of what we obsess over is bad. ( Appearances, worries/fears...things we are mad about, people we are mad at, pains, trials, and the list goes on)

As I sat and obsessed over my latest worry/fear I suddenly had this thought: what if every time my fear came into my mind and the enemy whispered to me "that now would be a good time to obsess over my fear again" I countered that fear obsessed thought with scripture and the truths of Christ? What would happen? So I tried it. And do know what happened? It got easier and easier to push the fear obsessed thought out of my mind and move on to things that really mattered. Amazing how it worked....Now I battled those thoughts almost every minute and sometimes I'd forget that I had to push it out with His truth, and I ponder my obsession for a moment, but it only took a seconds before I realized what I was doing again, and out I would come with my sword of truth and breastplate of righteousness and once again, combat my fear with truth. So I began to think about this in context of what I titled this blog as: Is there a good obsession? Is there any one thing in life that I can "O D" on for lack of better terms and still be OK? Even too much a good thing becomes bad. Too much exercise results in bad things, too much spinach gives you a tummy ache. (seriously...Ive tried it) too much exposure to the sun leaves you burned, too much chocolate and your in trouble in more ways than one...:) but seriously friends...is there such a thing as a "healthy obsession?" There is. Only one though. And it is being obsessed with Christ, His truth, His will for our lives and His plans for us. It's the obsession of chasing after the things and ways of Christ. Immersing oneself in scripture will leave you emerging a better person because you cannot help but be changed when you read the words of Christ day after. "Ancient words, ever true, changing me, and changing you, we have come, with open arms, so let the ancient words impart..." -song lyrics I love....

I love those lyrics because there so true...."7 days without prayer makes one weak...." that statement is so true as well. I've tried it, and it's true.

I know that on the days that I'm "too busy" to spend time with my Savior, I feel a little sad, a little lost and little helpless when it comes to my daily trials. I have no food and ammunition for my day...and by ammunition I mean, no way to fight off the devils schemes to attack me. (not shoot people who bug you. :) ) <----there is a solution for that in the word too and goes a little something to the tune of "love your enemy as yourself..." (I had to use that one yesterday as I was out shopping with my three children and dealt with unhappy fellow shoppers who were annoyed with how slow my children walked. Oops.)

Let me bring this home for you friends...Anything, anything , anything, that you divulge yourself into other than Christ is going to leave you running up dry and empty, anything that consumes your mind other than Christ is only going to clutter your thoughts and leave you feeling lost. I'm not saying you can't have other passions or hobbies! By no means! They just cannot be the thing that steals your obsessing. Think about the time you put into obsessing over the finances...or the problems going on around the world...or your weight...or the well-being of you child...really those things tend to take most of our thought life captive and that is not a healthy place to sit! All those worldly/earthly things only cause us to fear more when thought on in excess! Christ however, is something we can search, obsess over and dig into with a passion of a fool in love and we will never be left wondering we ought to do, or how things will work out.

God has a way of revealing His truth about us, about our world, about our fears/concerns/passions and cares when we dive in head first, and swim deep into His breath of life, and bread of life, and His way of life.

The Bible.

If you don't believe me, if I have any skeptics reading this, I challenge you: Read the Bible for 30 days every day and see if you don't find something/anything in it, that encourages you more. It is filled with wisdom, strength for weakness, encouragement for the meek, food for the hungry, water for your thirst and solutions to your pain/problems and fears.

It's loaded. And it is at this point still available to any and all who come. I say at this point because there may come a day where we can not freely read the Bible as we do now, but as long as we have it now...let us do so...write His words on our hearts.

"COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST." Matthew 11:28

Go ahead...obsess over His greatness...His Peace, He Redemption, His greatness, His forgiveness, His ability to make us content, and His salvation once and for all. Go ahead...you will not be sorry you did.