I know tomorrow isn’t promised yet I still fall into the “I will get to it tomorrow” syndrome. Time is a precious commodity that I seem to take for granted all too often.
There is one area that I cannot put off until tomorrow. I face this area on a daily basis and it has a huge impact on my life. Left unchecked, my joy nearly disappears and my home lacks much needed peace.
That area is… What comforts me emotionally?
We all have emotional comforts. They can vary from person to person but the question is the same…
What or Who do we run to when we feel emotional or stressed out?
Do we run to God or something unhealthy? I seem to fall into the latter. I battle allowing God to be my comfort. I usually try to find false comforts in other things outside of Him. Oh, how I try to avoid this question. I even try to make excuses for why I don’t always choose God. I blame it on past hurts or even other people. I say, “If they didn’t do this to me I wouldn’t need to be comforted. It’s their fault!”
Truly, this is a very important question for me to answer. To have a life full of God’s joy and peace I must face the truth.
The First Step:
Identification.
I need to know what I am drawn to in times of crisis.
Honestly, I have ran to several different things over the years for comfort YET I have certain things I run to consistently. For example, my main comfort is food. Food just makes me feel at ease. It is something I can control when my life is out of control. I think a few cookies or some fried chicken can take away pain that is too deep to express. I lie to myself every time!
Other emotional comforts I may run to is: relationships, sex, exercise, and my kids… just to name a few. All of these things I think will bring me peace and for a moment they do; but it is only temporary!
Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that I can’t have things in my life that bring a sense of calm or retreat. Something like exercise may be a beautiful oasis on a stressful day for me. God may even lead me to things that bring me solace. What I am saying is that these things should never take God’s place. He should be the first place I go to receive comfort in turbulent times.
In times when I am unsure of what my personal “go to” is, I pray about it. I ask God to reveal it to me. He is faithful and desires that I be set free. He has revealed many things to me during my prayer times.
The Next Step:
If I find that I have any unhealthy emotional comforts, I have to stop telling myself that I will start dealing with them tomorrow!
I won’t.
You won’t.
Tomorrow will just generate a new excuse.
Today is the day.
Today.
“Never put off for tomorrow, what you can do today.”
― Thomas Jefferson
It is about time…literally. Time. Time is not promised to me and each day that I let unhealthy habits linger I lose a level of freedom that I was born to have. My destiny is waiting for me to decide.
The Final Step:
I have to be honest with God and myself. I have to STOP HIDING!
What provides me with emotional comfort?
Is it food, an addiction, busyness, relationships, money?
Is it something other than God? If so, I must admit it! I can’t deny it any longer.
Truth is healing. Truth is the only way I can finally be set free to form new and healthy habits. Denial kills!
The Bible says,
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything…even healing. It is time to walk in the healing that God desires for me to have.
I discovered an old but beautiful truth recently. In my desire to go to God first for comfort, I don’t have to go very far. You see, I am a believer. I am redeemed by God’s blood. I gave my life to Christ and that means I am sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” John 14:16 KJV
He lives in me and He is my Comforter. I just have to believe it and receive it. What a great thing to discover. I don’t have to run to anything or anyone else. My Comforter will give me all the emotional comfort I need. He can make a stressful day into a blessing!
Make the choice with me TODAY! Let’s make God our first comfort and say goodbye to anything unhealthy.
It is about time, isn’t it? YES it is!
I leave you with a quote from Michael Landon, Jr. This quote really speaks to me.
“Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.”
― Michael Landon Jr.
God bless you and if you need prayer hit this tab. You are not alone!
Your Sister in Christ,
Tinika Nicole James
The Starlit Life 