Little foxes…

Do you have a sweet tooth?

Love dessert and chocolate? I do!

Living with both lupus and fibromyalgia means that I’m constantly exhausted and have very little energy and I found I was often gong to the cupboard to grab something sweet to give me a little boost when I felt I couldn’t carry on.

Do any of you do the same thing?

Over the last few months I have tried cutting down but not very successfully.

Then one day, just after Christmas it suddenly hit me…

*1. I was trying to do this in my own strength

*2. I was using food and especially chocolate, to help me get through the day instead of leaning on the Lord for the help and strength I needed.

So on the 4th Jan I cut out sugar and snacks for a month (with 5 boxes of gifted chocolates sitting on the side)

But this time leaning on the Lord for help and strength and in that strength alone I’ve made it nearly half way through.

This has got me thinking, just how many little things are there in our lives that we are trying to do in our own strength or looking to other things, rather than God, to help us through the day.

What do we use to refresh or relax us after a hard day or when we feel low or in need of a boost?

A bar of chocolate? Our phone? A book? Coffee? Comfort food? A glass of wine?……

Or prayer and reading our Bible?

For me, although I have learnt and am still learning to lean hard on the Lord in my illnesses and often cry out, “Lord, I can’t carry on, please help me” I have also been turning to chocolate or comfort food and not trusting in Christ alone.

How often do we try to find our own solution before looking to the One who has promised to strengthen us.

‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’

This promise isn’t just for the big things in life, it’s in everything, big or little, physical, emotional and spiritual.

God really does cares about our little problems, even the tiniest details of our lives.

Just think, God knows how many hairs are on your head and if you were to pull one out, He would know the new number.

GOD KNOWS AND GOD CARES.

So take your little hard things to the Lord, as well as the big.

Lean on the Lord to help you overcome those little faults and habits.

Seek His help in the areas of your life that you lack self discipline.

Ask God to reveal to you anything that you are looking to rather than relying and leaning on Him and let’s go forward, not in our own strength but in the power of our Almighty God.

‘Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.’

‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’