Welcome if you're visiting from my devotion today at Proverbs 31. If you haven't read it, you can follow the link and do so. I suggested we could talk about the reflection questions if you want, so ...
Let's talk ...
Can you recall something you have “weaned” off of, and now your appetites are changed?
For me that list would include things like sleeping way too late. I do still sleep in sometimes, just to a much lesser degree. It would include the cigarettes I smoked in college. That was hard to wean from, but I'm so glad those appetitees changed! Perhaps also the need for God to give me some tingly feelings and ground-breaking new insights every time I sit down to read the Bible. Interestingly, I think I get more out of my Bible reading now that I've let go of that expectation. I do expect to get something out it when I read scripture - I pray for that - but I don't need the "beaming light from heaven" experience to keep me coming back.
Is there something you are being weaned from now? Or something you know that God wants to wean you from?
Hum ... I'm not sure ... well, right now I'm working on some of my eating habits. So that might qualify. I eat fairly healthy, but I do have a sweet tooth that can get me into trouble. When I indulge that sweet tooth too much, my energy and ability to focus slips. God has placed many great opportunities on my plate at the moment, and I need to be a good steward of my energy to attend to them. So I guess I'm weaning some from eating whatever I want without regard for how it will affect me.
Or, are you obsessing over ambitions or roles you desire that God hasn't necessarily called you to or created you for?
I've definitely done this in the past. For the moment, however, I'm in a good place with this one. ... probably because my plate is full. I struggle more with this when my plate is not very full. I also understand my particular giftings and strengths, so that helps too. Have you ever taken a personality test or a spiritual gifts questionnaire?
This devotion is exactly what I needed today!!! I have been struggling and struggling against change and asking the Lord to make my path easy, and He has not answered. I became frustrated and felt that He wasn't listening...and you reminded me that we weren't promised an easy path. Thank you for the reminder that He has set the path for me!
ReplyDeleteThank you Rachel for your beautiful devotion today. God seems to be calling our family on a new adventure. Thank you for helping me to understand these scriptures in a brand new way. You were God's gentle voice of encouragement to me today. Thank you sweet sister!
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteYour devotion today was exactly what I needed. I received some critical feedback yesterday concerning a book proposal. I struggled with different emotions. First it was, this is good. I can use all of this to make it better. Then it was, my writing is not good enough. Just move on. Then, I quickly went back to the positive thoughts. Your words today were a reminder that I am called to do just what He has called me to do and let Him take care of what He does with it!
Rachel!
ReplyDeleteHow are you my friend?
I love that you shared this "weaning" message today!
The Lord has taken me through seasons what I call deleting sessions.
Delete things that distract my calling and purpose for the day.
Delete certain commitments.
Delete downers in my life.
Delete, Delete, Delete!
I agree with you about how our appetites change. My appetite has radically changed and I love this peace that I have gained from it!
Praise Him!
Love ya,
Vern
Your point, Rachel, of God's path happening in HIS time is so appropriate. After some bad personal decisions, and 45 years of my life, I finally understood following God's plan for my life. Some time went by, some frustrations and now peace after many struggles. New adventures and relationships keep growing, so positively and all align with God's word. Thank heavens for God's patience with his children. Thank you for the devotions to reflects and grow by.
ReplyDeleteYour devotional was a sweet birthday present from the Lord! It spoke exactly to where I am in my spiritual journey. God Bless!
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI love the passage you wrote on today. I remember so well the peace that overcame my children when I would rock them to sleep after they had been weaned! They knew they were safe in my arms without the nervous, constant nudging and squirming to nurse til their eyes could stay open no longer.
Oh, to live life with such peace in our Father's arms that we are not nervous and constantly nudging and squirming to find the peace He longs to give so freely and easily!!!
Be still, and know that I am God....He must have been talking to weaned followers!!
Love you,
Tammy
PS Any prayers you can lift for my son, Nick, are graciously appreciated. He is a very tough battle with cancer at this time....and he needs a true miracle.
Thank You for this "weaning Lesson" it was a new twist on an old concept. God has been trying to wean me from my control issues. I have sent this to my college student as I usually do. I wish I had learned so mamy lessons earlier. I suppose everyone feels that way. Thank you for being sesitive to the Holy Spirits leadership. This site ministers to me in so many ways, God Bless you
ReplyDeleteThank You for this "weaning Lesson" it was a new twist on an old concept. God has been trying to wean me from my control issues. I have sent this to my college student as I usually do. I wish I had learned so mamy lessons earlier. I suppose everyone feels that way. Thank you for being sesitive to the Holy Spirits leadership. This site ministers to me in so many ways, God Bless you
ReplyDeleteDoing the Bible Study on Women of the Bible was a start for me and then getting into the blogging. I don't spend as much time playing games on the computer as I was, and I very seldom watch TV anymore.
ReplyDeleteI guess maybe God was weaning me away from so much of the above. There has to be a balance and I think I'm getting there. Of course with the blogging I have had some "not so good" issues to deal with and ask God to help me with. This has to be in His control because without His help I could not do it and I so want to be used by Him to help others.
Thanks, Rachel,
AliceE.
The last few days I have felt absolutely hopeless about many things. My current work situation is really trying my patience. I have been praying for God to remove me, but He hasn't. I think He is weaning me from my need for perfection in every situation. Life isn't easy and I need to stay focused on Him and what I am called to do, not on anything else. I've also been way too busy and I believe I'm being weaned from my need to have a full plate--that drive to be doing rather than being. Thanks, your words spoke to this situation and I believe God used them today to get my thinking back on track.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless!
Something I am weaning from right now, and thought of it even before I saw your reflection questions:
ReplyDeleteMy counselor.
I have been seeing her for a year now... went through some pretty intensive therapy. And I have realized today that though I love her, I don't need her. I want to keep seeing her, but it is time to walk away. We came to that conclusion at our last appointment that we were pretty close to being done, and for once I was ok with that. And now that I have gone through this week, and worked through some things on my own, i realize, I really am ok with that, and I am ready to move on to the next level God has for me.
Thank you for this timely devotional!
God bless,
Heather
What a beautiful devotion! I just "happened" upon it, and it is timely for me, too. This "weaning" message can help me find contentment in not desiring a "bigger and better" home, but in using whatever home we do have for God's purposes and glory.
ReplyDeleteAlso, a note to Tammy: I'm a cancer survivor, and will definitely pray for Nick!
Thanks, Rachel, for sharing this insight with us.
Wonderful post. This may seem silly to some, but once I felt the need to wean myself from daytime television. I was as hooked on these shows as some people are on cigarettes. But they were getting in my way of getting everything done that I wanted to.
ReplyDeletePlus, they stayed on my mind too much during the day and night - and it was mental space I wanted to fill with things that really mattered!
One frustrated Friday afternoon, I asked God to take the desire to watch these shows away from me. (Right after the big Friday cliffhangers, even!)
He did just that. I didn't tune in Monday or any day since. Somehow, I didn't even care about the cliffhangers.
He rewarded me by opening up a whole new world for me. I began dabbling with writing and with teaching myself web design in my free afternoon hours.
Years later, I am now a web designer and web publisher with ovre 12 blogs and 7 websites. I have met some truly amazing people online, from all over the world.
I shudder to think where I'd be or what I'd have missed out on if God hadn't freed me from my binds.
Not only is He GOOD, He's better than our human mind can even comprehend.
Joi - your story doesn't seem silly to me at all. It shows the power of God to transform our lives into something truly worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteAfter we delete, delete, delete as Vern described it, God adds more than we could imagine.
Thanks, EVERYONE for sharing! ~ Rachel