I rolled over to the side of my bed and it was sitting on my bed head staring at me. My hands felt like a thousand pound dumbbell had been attached to them and somehow… somehow, I just couldn’t extend them to pick it up even though it was only a few inches away.
It’d been about three days since I’d actually sat down with my bible, pen and journal to have some quality bible study like I always do. I picked up my phone and that bible app icon hit me in the face but still I didn’t click on it – besides I’d already read the verse for the day it offered – I mean that should be enough (or so I wanted to believe). Again I got caught up in the internet/social media maze and then before I knew it the day’s activities swallowed up the rest of the time then just like that another day went by without me having my quality quiet time, digging into the word and paying attention to the Lord.
I’m probably not alone in this struggle. We’ve probably all had one of these days where we just can’t bring ourselves to study the word or even have our quiet time. One of those days where, we read it more like a story book rather than meditate on it so we can put another tick on the day to soothe our consciences that we read it. One of those days where life’s troubles seems to crowd our minds so much that there’s no space for the word to sink in.
The funniest part about it is we are probably very much aware it’s another attack from the devil. We know we should try to quiet our minds and make room for Him. Still we don’t. So what do you do when you go through days like these?
I honestly cannot tell you anything you’ve not heard before or maybe that you do not already know. Things like ‘you’ve got to make out time no matter how busy you get’ or ‘you should fight harder to overcome the devil’. While these are all things you probably know you should do, what I would like to give you today though are a few things you should remember when you’re going through one of those days;
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God doesn’t love you any less
The evil one loves to use any opportunity he can get to make us question God’s love for us. He uses guilt to cripple us and keep us on the same spot. When you try to go back to having your quiet time after missing a few days or even much longer than that, he will try to use guilt to stop you from doing it and then it’ll be a downward spiral from there. No matter how much time goes by, you can still go back to God; His love for you isn’t conditional or dependent on anything. He wouldn’t love you any less even when you fall. He’s always waiting for you to come back. So don’t let guilt stop you.
Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10NIV
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He’s not going to stop talking to you
We know for sure that one major way through which God speaks to us is through his word. So when we don’t spend time in the word, it’s like we are turning down the volume of his voice. The more you spend time in his word, the louder his voice will be to you. However, God through his mercy and grace will still speak to you. Every time you get that urge and push in your heart to go back to his word and to go back to spending quality time with Him, that’s Him talking to you. He never gives up on those He loves. So don’t give up on him!
You, Lord are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call you. Psalm 86:5NIV
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He’s still going to use you how He had planned to
One more thing the devil will try to make you believe is that you are no more valuable or useful to God. However, God doesn’t use us because we are too righteous or because we are very knowledgeable – it’s His power that works in you to accomplish His purpose. So don’t close out all the doors on him because you feel incompetent or guilty. Just go back to Him again. He’s always available.
… being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6NIV