"Fighting"

"But it is good for me..." Psalm 73:28a

When my precious little granddaughter was four months old, she began "fighting" sleep. Up until then she would go to sleep at night and sleep until the next morning. You could tell she was sleepy but if you tried to lay her down or rock her she would get fussy and try to stay awake. She didn't realize that what she was "fighting" against was something that is "good" for her. Sleep is something that she needs- it rests and refreshes her body and is important for her growth and development.

Aren't we like my granddaughter--- "fighting" against what is good for us. How often do we "fight" against the "disciplines" that are needed for us to grow and mature spiritually. When we don't want to take the time to read the Bible, study it, meditate on it, we are "fighting". When we don't want to make the sacrifice to pray, to seek the Lord, to fast, to deny ourselves, we are "fighting".

Another result of her "fighting" sleep is irritability. She would get irritable, cry and keep her mother awake. When we fight against the spiritual disciplines and those things that the Lord is sending our way for our good, it will lend way to unChristlike behavior, to a greater presence of the "fruits of the flesh", to a poor witness to others and to a distant relationship with the Lord.

The spiritual disciplines are not always what we want to do, they are not always easy, we think we are going to "miss out" on something, they don't always fit into our schedules, but they are needful. They are not only good for us spiritually, but we have to have them to help sustain our spiritual life.

Have a great day. Are you "fighting" against what you need? If you do, it won't be long before it will have an effect on you.