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Are You Plugged Up?
December 7, 2008
I found myself once again in the hospital waiting room thinking to myself, “This has got to stop!” My brother-in-law had a heart attack two days before Thanksgiving, thus the reason this is late. His arteries were definitely plugged up! Arteries carry life giving blood to our body and the doctor said it would be a 5-way bypass. His arteries were so plugged they were calcified. The only thing that could be done was to replace them.
I started thinking about my spiritual arteries. Were mine plugged up? How would I know? Are there warning signs?
My brother-in-law had warning signs. Chest pains, low energy, depression, shortness of breath, and irritability.
Hmmm…do I have unexplained pains from mistaken thinking, low energy, depression, shortness of perseverance, am I quickly irritated? Maybe I need a spiritual bypass.
The skilled surgeon came to the aid of my brother-in-law. It is incredible what they can do to save a life. He used healthy parts from his body, as a gift, to replace the unhealthy ones in his body. The surgeon had him in and out within a week!
How do I bypass my spiritually plugged unhealthy arteries? I look to my skilled surgeon Jesus. I can use the healthy parts from the body of Christ.
Bypass replacement #1: I could read God’s Word to replace my mistaken thinking. What does He think about me?
Bypass replacement #2: I could join a devotional accountability group and gain energy from daily devotions and others perspectives, rather than staying isolated and unhealthy.
Bypass replacement #3: I could regularly attend my local church, involving myself in the practice of ‘breaking bread’ as I remember what Christ did for me, becoming more grateful therefore lifting my depression.
Bypass replacement #4: I could involve myself in ongoing fellowship with other believers, listening to others challenges to learn perseverance.
Bypass replacement #5: I could daily spend time in surrender and prayer to give me the ability to thwart irritability and become more like Jesus , rather than surrendering to the unhealthy things now influencing me.
God sent Jesus to give us life! He provides us gifts from His resources to make us healthy. He is the one with gifts from God. My question to myself and you is, “Are we opening those gifts and using them? If we are using ‘the gifts’ on a daily basis we will not have ‘spiritually’ plugged arteries. Jesus wants to give you your life back!
Rhoda
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