“Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you — your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust.”
- 2 Peter 1:3-4 (The Message)
It was just a matter of time. But even though it was inevitable, we saw it coming. My kids had a pet rabbit for many years. They loved the rabbit and took great care of it. However, over the years, as activities increased and life got busier for three growing children, it become difficult for them to find time to feed the rabbit. I covered for them occasionally, but the rabbit simply did not get the food it needed. One day, we went to the cage to find a motionless rabbit. It had died. The kids didn’t mean to starve it, or even want to see their pet die. But when you don’t feed a rabbit, it dies.
It was a tough example to learn from. Life lessons hurt. I was mad, the kids were crushed, and the rabbit was dead. The lesson of this story is that when you stop doing the things you need to do, destructive results are inevitable. As I thought about the mistake of my kids, the Lord actually convicted me. (I hate it when the Lord starts shining the spotlight on me when I want it to shine on someone else.) But in my spirit, the Lord said, “Dan, you do the same thing. You know you should feed your soul with the Word of God. When you don’t, you starve Me, because my Spirit lives inside of you.” Ouch!
My children didn’t want to starve the rabbit. In the same way, I don’t want to starve the living God who dwells in me. But when I don’t carve out the daily time for Him, I starve Him. We need to make sure that the busyness of life doesn’t crowd out, squeeze out or starve out Jesus. You care about Jesus. You love Jesus. Maybe you just don’t care enough to be spiritually healthy and you allow yourself to become spiritually malnourished. You eat just enough to get by, taking in a short devo here and there or have a quick word of prayer so that God can bless something you are doing. You just skim when it comes to the things of God. After all, compared to all your friends, you are doing great! (Probably because they are doing nothing.) Other people replace God as your standard.
What you do for your spiritual health you would never do for your physical health. Not many of us are missing meals. But many of us are missing our spiritual meals. When you see the pictures of children in Africa starving to death, your heart breaks for them. Maybe God looks at us in the same way. Maybe He sees us like a starving, malnourished child, barely alive spiritually, and His heart breaks. Only you and the Lord know if you are spiritually well-fed and healthy or if you are starving to death.
As competitors, we understand the importance of physical health. If we don’t take care of our bodies and train, we pay the price. But Jesus wants us to take care of our souls and train spiritually so that we will be ready and prepared as warriors of God for whatever the gates of Hell throw at us. If we are spiritually weak, we will be crushed. If we are spiritually strong, the life of Christ will be manifested through us and bring victory!
Today, do something that only you can do. Get spiritually healthy. I think you know what you need to do. Pray, read, study, meditate, share, fellowship, memorize. Do whatever it takes to get healthy. Your future depends on it. And your Lord and Savior is waiting.
1. How is your soul doing? Are you healthy spiritually? Are you missing spiritual meals?
2. Why are you in your current spiritual condition? What has brought you to this point? What excuses or compromises have you made that have made you spiritually malnourished? What disciplines have you put in place that have made you spiritually strong?
3. What can you do today that will help you get healthy? Commit to this answer for 30 days. Seek accountability from a trusted friend.
Mark 1:35
2 Peter 1:3-11
“Lord Jesus, I want to get serious about my spiritual health. I don’t want to be a weak, starving, malnourished child of God. I know that you want me to be strong and healthy. I don’t want others to be my standard. I want You to be my standard. Speak to me, Lord. I ask for insight to know what I need to do and for the power to live it out. Surround me with great friends who want to help me develop spiritually. Thank You, Jesus, for Your great love. I want to engage with You every day. Amen.”