Today we are continuing our Tuesday series on life transforming prayer. Tuesday is quickly becoming my favorite day of the week. How about for you?
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No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11
I had a health scare this spring. A big one. Months of intense abdominal pain and bleeding led to my decision to make my first visit to an internist. A panel of blood work showed my body in peak physical condition. Every single indicator was toward perfect health. Why then was I in excruciating pain?
I asked God for relief.
Then I asked God for wisdom.
I felt the tap on my heart to eliminate every food and beverage from my diet except those closest in form to how God created them. After several months of eating raw veggies, fruit, whole grains and fresh, lean meat and drinking only water and the occasional coffee every symptom disappeared.
Amazingly I also dropped 20 pounds.
For five years I'd been striving to return to my pre-pregnancy weight. I wanted fast results. Quick programs didn't lead to lasting results.
As I disciplined my body, I noticed the other areas of my life improved as well - my moods, emotions, sleep patterns, marriage, parenting, friendships and even spiritual health all rallied.
I wonder about you. Have you signed up for another program to drop 10 pounds? Did you just fill a prescription for sleep aids or mood enhancers? These are wonderful tools but what if God intended those to supplement His plan and not the other way around. What if we chose prayer as our lead tool in our health?
Lord, discipline me...I need Your rest.
Lord, discipline me...I need Your energy.
Lord, discipline me...I need the righteousness and peace You promise to those You discipline.
Lord, discipline me because most of all I need You.
What area of health is your biggest battle - the bulge, the bed or the buff? Do you dare to pray...?
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Have these Tuesday prayers impacted your life? Did you know you can download the complete set at http://www.shannonmilholland.com/free-resources.html? Why not share these prayers with a friend? Or have your small group address one each week? Let's give away what we've been given.
For me the biggest is bulge. He has been nudging me for several years to eat only when I am hungry and eat foods that will nourish and make me strong. I also have felt led to eliminate gluten from my diet. I like to say He is my personal trainer, in all areas. So discipline me would be the prayer-to cry out to Him and run away from food if I'm not hungry, to let Him work in my heart for the "desire" or "head" hunger that I get, to prepare meals for my family that He wants, to LIVE my life in Him and not focus on food. That is the direction I am headed in Jesus Name, with His Help, Amen <3
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! Thankful for your heart and perspective!
DeleteOh I needed this today! I have been asking God to help me discipline my body and control what goes in and comes out. I think I'm going to memorize this verse. I'm also thinking about how this translates to other leadership in our lives. My husband and other church leadership are encouraging our congregation to be spiritually disciplined followers of Jesus. Right now it seems unpleasant and harsh to them but we are focused on what they have forgotten. A harvest of righteousness and peace is on the other side!
ReplyDeleteWhat's most amazing is discipline in one area really does spark the fire of discipline in another. God is so merciful!
DeleteI have pain in my ribs (cartilage irritation). I think it would be better if I had prayed for! And frequently took my meds;-) And most importantly: I would need five pounds of weight loss.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to heart that. That sounds painful! Praying the inflammation is down and your spirits are up!
DeleteThank you for sharing your amazing weight loss and pain loss story at "Tell Me a Story" Blog Hop. Our body will speak to us if we will listen. I have been observing after eating certain foods, what my body tells me. It does work.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know I'm not crazy. :) Thanks for the affirmation!
DeleteMy sleeping habits are awful and I keep thinking they're going to catch up with me. I do pray about it sometimes...more conversationally though than as for a plea for help. I do that when I'm being lazy about making changes I know will be good for me.
ReplyDeleteSleep can definitely be a tricky one. I really try to stay on a schedule but it can be hard sometimes, huh?
DeleteThanks for posting, transformation is not easy. God knows what he's doing, and I'm so thankful he can see the bigger picture, that I can't see. :) Thanks so much for linking this post to Simply Better: Tuesday Tips!
ReplyDeleteHe knows what He's doing that's for sure. Isn't it amazing that He allows us to cooperate with us in His work even though He doesn't need us? Love it!
DeleteOh boy, transformation is not the most fun thing in the world. I need to work on my moods. Thanks for this great reminder!! xo Miss you!!
ReplyDeleteOh those moods. They can be a killer can't they?
DeleteLord, discipline me...I need to get my morning "time with God" routine back in full force.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was sick the past few weeks I found myself sleeping in every morning. We even missed church because of illness (3 weeks in a row). It's so easy to get out of the habit of doing things that are good for us and much harder to make the right choices again. God knows what's best for me.
This morning, I was up at 5:30 for my time with Him. I'm tired, but it felt good and was exactly what this mama needed for long term wellness.
Lord, refresh Rosann's heart and soul with the same strength You've infused into her body.
DeleteSo thankful for your dedication to Him!
The Lord's creations for us are always perfect and what we need! Thanks for the inspiration--I NEED to do this!!! :)
ReplyDeleteAmen, sistah!
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