Listen

Brothers and sisters, become imitators of me and watch those who live this way—you can use us as models. As I have told you many times and now say with deep sadness, many people live as enemies of the cross. Their lives end with destruction. Their god is their stomach, and they take pride in their disgrace because their thoughts focus on earthly things.

Philippians 3:17-19

Think

How often have you known what is good for you, but you still chose the thing that you wanted in the moment, the thing furthest from the good? For instance, you know you should eat the fish and grilled vegetables. Your doctor has told you it’s the better choice. And you know it will help you to grow strong and will fuel your body. But that sloppy burger and fries from your favorite fast-food chain just sounds so good! So, you choose the burger and fries and, in the end, you’re left with a stomach ache and are never satisfied for long.

It can be hard to choose to model your life after God, especially when that choice goes against the thing you long for in the moment. Society is constantly bombarding us with the new hot thing – the thing you just have to have to make your life whole. But ultimately, those things will never satisfy.

True pleasure comes from choosing God. Even when it’s hard.

Elizabeth Cervasio

Pray

God, help me to choose you.

Help me to remember that it is you and you alone that will fully satisfy my life.

When I run to worldly pleasures, call me gently back and help me to choose what is truly good for me.

Amen.

Go

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord;
he taketh my burden away.
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved;
he giveth me strength as my day.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry, thirsty land.
He hideth my life in the depths of his love,
and covers me there with his hand,
and covers me there with his hand.

Fanny Crosby in “He Hideth My Soul” (1890)