We Need the Good Stuff: Choosing Good over Easy

I work at a Bible Camp- and let me tell you, it's been pretty amazing.

I love my co-workers, I love my office, the emphasis on family, the campers... it's busy, but it's great.

The only real trouble is the cookies. 

There are almost always cookies in the dining hall, just a few steps from my office. The smell of them baking wafts down to my desk.

And when it isn't cookies, it's brownies, or cake. Or donuts.

They're right there, and they're easy to grab. There's also good stuff in the dining hall- carrots and broccoli and chicken breasts... but you have to walk back to the fridge to get those... so... (cough cough)

Often (too often), I choose what's easy and fun over what's actually good for me.


Reading the Bible is like a good meal. It takes some concentration, takes a little longer, but it's so nourishing. And watching that movie, or going online, or sleeping in? It's like eating a cookie.

I like cookies.

(As I'm writing out this part of the series, I keep coming back to food analogies. Think God's trying to tell me something, here?)

It's okay to have a cookie every once in awhile.

But when all you're eating is cookies, you're not going to stay healthy for very long.

Worse, you're not going to be hungry for the good stuff, even if you have it right in front of you. It's easier (and more fun) to grab that cookie than it is to eat a carrot, or prepare a nutritious meal.

It's the same relationship between the Bible and TV (or Netflix, or the internet, or those YouTube cat videos, sleeping in, or movies, or video games, or even doing the dishes).

I'm always coming up with excuses about why I don't read my Bible. 

I don't have time.  

It's boring.  

Other things are more pressing right now.  

It's confusing. 

I can't give it my full attention, anyway. 

I'm calling baloney. My excuses? A bunch of boo-hockey. 




The truth is? I'm eating cookies. 

That's the reason I'm not hungry. That's the reason I'm too tired. That's a big part of the reason that I just plain don't wanna.

I'm lazy and selfish and take the easy way out.

Instead of doing the work of reading and engaging my mind and my soul with my God, I find ways to entertain myself. 

Instead of believing that reading my Bible is vital to my every day, I think that getting the floors swept and laundry put away should be a priority. 

Instead of taking a break in my day to lean on Him and His Word, I plow through with my bad attitude saying that I can do it myself. 

Honestly, I'm kind of sick of myself. It's time to grow up and stop doing things the easy way.

I need to stop making choices based on what looks good now, instead of what is good for me.

I think that's step one, ladies (and gentlemen? maybe? probably not?).

I think that's the first step when it comes to doing better about opening the Bible.



I think we need to do some heavy lifting, and some heavy praying. Praying that the Holy Spirit would grow us mightily in self-control, praying that in all things, we'd seek God first.

I think we need to make the choice, and stick with it, and find some accountability.

We need the good stuff.

Let's choose the nourishment that strengthens our spiritual bones and provides fuel for our every-day faith muscles.

Related Posts: 

     

DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging habit, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. You may see a full disclosure by clicking on my "About" page. I will only promote products that I use, enjoy, or take a shine to. All opinions and reviews are my own and are not influenced by any compensation I may receive.