Just Fix Me

I have a friend who hates taking pills of any kind. When she has a bad headache and I offer ibuprofen, she shrugs it off saying “Oh I hate taking pills.” Then continues to squeeze her head in her hands like a vice, hoping that will help.

This same friend also has digestive issues, and has been given supplements to help her gut and her overall energy levels. She’s also been given a plan to change her sleeping habits so that she rests better at night, and actually sleeps. And a Happy Light to boost her energy during the day. But she has yet to consistently take her supplements, or implement the sleeping plan. She hasn’t used the Happy Light once. (I have- it’s awesome!) 

And yet she complains she doesn’t feel well and is tired. She wants a magic wand to be waved over her and have everything magically okay. But that isn’t how life works. You have to do the unpleasant sometimes to get the results you want. 

(Like eating right and working out…amiright?) 

I got to wondering though, do I do the same thing spiritually? Here I’ve been given the complete Word of God, I have access to the Father any time of day or night, and yet sometimes I want God to wave a magic wand and make me like Jesus. It’s like I’m saying: “God, don’t change me, just fix me!” 

But God won’t wave a magic wand over us and make us perfect. We have to work to become more like Christ. Our faith grows as we take steps of obedience, and we learn to discipline ourselves in faithfulness. Sometimes we don’t feel like doing it. Sometimes it is harder than we want to work. But if we apply ourselves and use the tools we’ve been given, the results are always worth the effort. 

Proverbs 23:12 “Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.”

Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”