On Never Having it Easy

We've been flat out this week, hence no blogging.

I'm tempted often to complain about things being too hard. If we're not too sick we're too busy, too tired, too poor or too something else.

But, as Craig gently reminded me this week after we'd done our budget for the year, if things got "easy" we wouldn't be living the life that God wants us to live. Whenever we put God first we will be aliens in this world and most likely be under greater temptation to sin & spiritual attack.

A few verses have encouraged me to stop complaining and repent before the devil gets a foothold. Here they are, hope they encourage you too.

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

Philippians 2:14
Do everything without complaining or arguing,

1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

The Other White Powder.....

Processed Sugar - a major weakness for me. Craig calls it "The Other White Powder". Since our CFS road trip began, we have, at times completely taken sugar out of our diets. For me this is huge but for Craig not so hard.

It is my addiction. I have seen, as I remove it, there are amazing benefits - My body is much less tired. I don't crash. What I replace it with is so full of goodness that I'm bouncing off the walls - You'd think I could never be tempted to go back. But there it is. Temptation.

3 weeks ago I was so tired with my pregnancy & looking after the boys that I made the decision to completely go off processed sugar again - No more snacks. No giving in to cravings. Within days I was a new person - running around the playground with the kids, swinging like a monkey and wheeeeing down the slide with delight.

Then came Easter - the most refreshing and uplfting time of year for Christians. The time when we remember the humble and dreadful death of God as man Jesus Christ and his glorious resurrection to the White Throne where he rules as God our loving King and just judge...... - and chocolate.

I resisted until Easter Sunday. By then Craig was sick and I was going downhill fast. All my resistance crumbled.

Have I raised it so high that "the Other White Powder" sits, in my esteem, alongside the King and Saviour? Is sugar my functional saviour? God forbid.