Steel In Your Convictions!

By Renee Burt

Do you ever know you shouldn’t do something, but then you find yourself doing it anyway? I wish I could say that never happens to me, but that wouldn’t be true…especially this past weekend. You see, I had cut desserts out of my life almost entirely about a year ago. After a couple of months, I felt like I had that “sugar craving” desire whipped into doing what I wanted it to do, which was to eat no more than one dessert a week. But then this weekend happened. First, there was my favorite kind of cake at a small group get together. I just had one piece. But then the next night, I went to a birthday party. I debated whether to eat the apple/cranberry torte, warmed ala mode…for all of about 30 seconds…and then I inhaled it. Later, I told myself that NEVER happens anymore, so just relax…the piece was small, after all. But THEN, I went to a wedding shower the next day, and I thought, “Great, it’s marble cake…I only like white cake! So, no problem, right?” Wrong…because the first piece cut was all white…not a speck of chocolate in it, so they passed it to me, since they knew I love white cake. And yes, I ate dessert #3 for the weekend! So what did I do later? Feel guilty? Feel bugged at myself? Yes…but I got past it quickly when I later read today’s verse. It reminded me that God loves me very much…even when I have a dessert disaster! And it reminded me that He HAS put steel in my convictions, despite this weekend slip-up that has only served to remind me that I never could do this thing on my own in the first place. I need His help in every area of my life…even where it concerns desserts! So bring on the white cake & tortes…the steel is back in my convictions. And He’ll put it in you too, for whatever it is you need help with…desserts included!

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 MSG ~ It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

More devotions from Renee’s Fresh Manna