This is Breezy. This photo was taken just moments after we “met” for the first time in February of 2003. We bought him sight unseen and he was my first pony ever….the one to make my dreams come true at the ripe old age of 41. I wanted you to see him.
I opened my Thin Within workbook this morning and was asked to look at Romans 8:13.
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if you live by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
The workbook went on to say:
“What are we doing to the deeds of the flesh when we live according to the Spirit?”
Well, the answer, clearly, was, we are putting to death the misdeeds of the body. We are killing off sin! Thrush! 🙂
The workbook confirmed “Resurrected life comes only out of death.”
Yup…a new healthy frog comes only out of carving away the old one and killing the thrush. 🙂
I was struck by God directing me to *that* exercise, today….the workbook seemed to be a perfect follow up to my thrush analogy.
You see, I struggle with something. If I boldly share about the weight loss, then pride can rear its ugly head.
But if I hide it, I know I am “hiding my light under a bushel.”
I am ashamed that I can’t declare His praises without my own stupid pride welling up. So, what do I do…hide the weight loss in shame or declare it and risk pride? Either way, pride is at the root. Be willing to show the changes that have happened, or live in shame because of the changes that have not?
It seems like a conundrum.
In order to give God the glory, I have to take the risk that my heart will remain humble. But I know myself. The thrush still lives in my heart. Allowing opportunity to receive the praise of man is like sticking Breezy’s thrushy feet in the muck and mire with no light, no oxygen, no solution….it gives the environment for the thrush to flourish.
My sin is like that. It flourishes in the right environment. Sure, on the outside, like Breezy’s hoof…my life might look good enough, appear to function just fine, acceptably…. but inside, the “thrush” (my sin, pride, arrogance) is eating away at the most important part of who I am.
I will just keep asking God to help me know what to do.
I thought it another interesting thing…today, for the first time…I saw my old horse shoer at church. Ya think God might be on a theme with me here? It was all I could do to stop myself from running over to her and eagerly telling her the thrush analogy! LOL! I don’t even know if she is a believer! LOL!
