Growing up in my momma's household as an only for a large portion of my life there were about three rules that I knew were to never be broken.
1) Don't Open The Door if I'm Not Home- to go out of it or to let anyone inside of it.
2) Make sure that this house looks better than it did when I left- chores are to be done in the order of the list.
3) When I call this house phone you better answer.
Maybe, you can't relate to all of those but I want us to look at number one. At high risk of exposing my "sneaky" teenage behaviors, I'll forego specific details, but I want us to think about the notion of playing at the door. I could get away with leaving the screen door open and looking out of it. I could get away with sitting on the porch but that house phone situation was a huge nail in the coffin for any adventure beyond that. I would sneak next door to my cousin's house ( yes my real cousin) and watch tv and chat on her patio. See, I had found out the distance that I could go without leaving the range of the phone's base. It was a wrap! I would leave the phone on her patio and look at it through the glass sliding door and did as I wanted until one day, my momma came home early for lunch!
When we got saved we agreed to partner with God to adapt our lives, hearts, and minds to God's standards. Yet, some of us still find ways to leave the front porch with the house phone in our pocket. It's not that we're slaves to the house but staying in the house- staying put grounded and protected under God's guidance and wisdom is suggested to us for that very reason. He has the greatest level of guidance and wisdom. Many of us get frustrated because of our understanding of God's standards and principles we see them as limitations instead of boundaries of protection. Assess your life today, do you spend a lot of time focused on ways to do enough just to be found "right" with God?
As you find your quiet time today change your perspective from the place of what can I get away with and how can I make this work for, by focusing on things that will help you present yourself as a whole and a true follower of Christ. Check out Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Reprogram your thinking about life as a saved believer with rules, regulations, and restrictions and focus on the freedom that comes in refocusing the things that are right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. This will not only protect you from participating in intentional sin but it will also help you stop old habits such as complaining, gossiping, and shift your personal atmosphere.
What are some areas in your life that you're testing your own salvation? Maybe your fighting personal defeat due to guilt and shame- change that now and focus on what is true according to the word of God. Maybe you're struggling to stay strong and resist old habits sexually or socially- stay strong and focus on what's pure. It's not easy to live free according to the principles of God, but it is worth it! That's all for now sisters! Stay encouraged and remember you ARE always on the way to BECOMING, be BOLD and be DRIVEN by PURPOSE,
Love,
Sydney G. 💋