Posted on 10/30/2021 6:45:17 AM PDT by rebuildus
I broke a tooth recently, which caused me to look at ways to improve the strength of my teeth.
One of the things I decided to do (besides being careful about ingesting processed sugar) was to drink milk again–for the calcium, phosphorous, Vitamin A and D. And for additional protein too as I’ve been lifting heavy weights.
And yet, deep down, I knew that there are other ways to get the nutrients I need without having to drink milk.
Yet, I kept at it.
This morning, like too many mornings I’d care to admit to, I woke up with a heavy, uncomfortable feeling in the belly caused by drinking a couple of glasses of milk last night.
I’m all too familiar with this feeling.
I have had health crisis’ in the past, including passing kidney stones (trust me, you don’t want this!), and it occurred to me this morning that often I just REFUSE to make a change until I’m hit with a crisis.
Are you like this too?
So I began to think about why this is the case.
The bottom line, for me, is that I tend to get stubborn with my “decisions.” If I believe that something is “supposed to” work well, based on sounding good, or on what some expert says, I find myself too often sticking with it until it proves itself unbearable–usually through pain!
In other words, my stubborness can override my common sense!
A old friend of mine liked to talk about “bought” lessons being best–meaning the mistakes you have to pay for. Otherwise, we tend not to learn the lesson, unless we are wise. And not many of us are truly wise.
Similarly, only pain seems to wake me up that I’m on the wrong path. How many people have refused to make a change until a crisis–often a health crisis–gets their attention?
It could be cancer, diabetes, heart disease–it could even be COVID.
What makes me comfortable? There are certain things that just make me feel better, like eating sugar and milk products. Can you relate? 🙂 And it’s often related to time of day. For instance, at the end of the day (in the evening/at night), I’m more inclined to want to eat for pleasure. I know there are many who do the same. In fact, I’d say the vast majority of people eat for pleasure, not for health.
So my mind and emotions like to justify my continued indulgence in pleasure.
Food–since the time we were small–has been offered to us as a source of pleasure and well-being. It is ingrained in our psyche, and going without our trusted source of comfort is like dying.
I have to admit, I haven’t been ready to face “death” yet–the death of my false self. And that is the crux here.
So in effect, God is making me face it. “Making” may be too strong a word–how about He’s “strongly suggesting” I face the music, before the music kills me.
How many deaths occur in this world simply because people will not stop indulging in that thing that is killing them?
I don’t want to be one of them.
I hope you don’t either.
So the only solution forward is to step out on faith–faith that we won’t actually die by giving up our favorite comforts. Faith that far from dying, we may actually live, and live more abundantly.
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10 KJV We are actually giving in to the “thief” when we choose indulgence over true life.
And so I must make a choice to live. I believe that God will help me when I do. I just need to take the next step into faith.
I hope you will do–or are doing–the same.
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He communicates clearly and fearlessly during perilous times about natural health, success, and freedom. To reach Patrick, email him at info@oldschoolus.com.
Thanks, Gen.Blather. Yes, some of this is habit. But often there is a reason why we keep a habit that goes deeper.
“...I guess if I was to sum it all up: In my opinion, the thing most Westerners need to stop indulging in is TRUST. Start looking at that gallon of milk like maybe it won’t be there tomorrow, or maybe tomorrow getting another gallon of milk will be a whole new ball game involving risk and inconvenience. Stop trusting and start appreciating.”
Thank you, Scarlett156. You said so much it’s hard to reply, but your last paragraph is something I can wrap my head around easily, and your 100% right—we lost trust in God and in our own abilities, and gave it to strangers, many of who are totally un-trust-worthy!
“Because we are like frogs in the pot.”
Yes, we certainly are!
“...Wisdom is not some magical thing handed out from up above, rather it is a set of rules for living learned through often painful experiences over the milleniums of human existence, which if followed result in an overall happier life in the long term....”
I have to disagree with this. Yes, most of us do have to get knocked upside the head to learn, but true wisdom IS some “magical thing handed out from above.” If we were to listen to our conscience, we would not need hard knocks.
Right. I felt I was approaching incoherence, but that was the gist of it.
There is all the wisdom you’ll ever need if you can remove all distractions to the point that you can hear Gd’s voice. People can give great advice, but there’s a stillness that occurs when you finally do hear Gd. Information just comes pouring out from everywhere, and it’s timely, too.
The one and the true.
“...There is all the wisdom you’ll ever need if you can remove all distractions to the point that you can hear Gd’s voice...”
And there it is!
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