Full Steam Ahead!

FORCE Yourself!

Flashback to my years in graduate school. I was finishing up one of my college classes one week.  The projects weren't difficult; in fact, it was a Power Point presentation, which I enjoyed making, and a 3-5 page paper that was nearly complete.  I'm a writer and these are the things I enjoy doing!  However, earlier that week, I wrestled with motivation to actually complete the projects.  I lost interest somewhere along the way.  As I said, for me, these projects weren't difficult, but I looked at them as things on a never-ending "to-do list" that needed to be checked off.  

(C) morguefile.com

Now, if you're like me (and my kids, for that matter!), you make these lists and do the easier, more fun things first and the less exciting items toward the end.  That's where I found myself!  The continuation of these assignments became less and less entertaining for me.  I read a post by my brother-in-law (www.farquharia.com) and began to think about how much of life I have to force myself to do.  These times sneak up on us and tend to rob us of the time we could, we should, be spending doing the work the Lord called us to.  Years ago, I remember forcing myself to get up even though the baby had been fussy most of the night.  Still, his or her siblings needed to have breakfast, so I got up.  I forced myself to overcome a fear of being in my house alone following my being a victim of rape; forced myself to exercise and walk around a lake when I so badly just wanted to sit in my room watching television; and forced myself to get up and go to church when staying home or going somewhere else would have been more "fun."

You see, all these things we have to force ourselves to do are simply distractions by Satan.  He tries to keep us from completing tasks given to us by the Father because when we succeed, it gives God glory and accomplishes something for the Kingdom!  Satan would like nothing better than to have us waste what time we have by getting lazy or distracted.  But we have the Spirit of God living in us, and that power, that force, gives us all we need to overcome barriers like lack of motivation, laziness, and procrastination.  He makes us a force to be reckoned with, with spiritual warfare as our defense!

Next time there is a particular chore you put off doing, a phone call to a friend you hesitate in making, or a meeting you try to find an excuse not to attend, remember, that is just Satan filling your head with lies to keep you from God!  Force yourself to complete the chore; force yourself to pick up the phone and call; and force yourself to attend that church meeting.  Before you know it, you won't have to force yourself any more!

Lyn~