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If you live long enough, you will eventually have to deal with the challenges that aging brings.
As a 56-year-old woman, it seems that “new” challenges are cropping up on a regular basis.
I found out recently that my bones aren’t as dense as they need to be, so I’ve started calcium supplements and stepped up my workout routine to include more strength training.
A few years ago, I switched to eating more whole foods, so I’ve already been on the road to better nutrition.
But now I’m hearing that there’s a lot more I could be doing, i.e., a Keto lifestyle, to become even healthier.
I’m also realizing that hormones (or lack thereof) play a huge role in my overall health.
So now I’m looking into natural options to replace hormones my body needs.
Whew!
Maintaining my physical health is taking much more time, energy, and dollars than I really want to spend, but I have to deal with it if I want to enjoy a greater quality of life in the time I have left on this earth.
In light of the toll that maintaining my physical health is taking on my natural resources, I am so glad to know that I don’t have to expend enormous amounts of time, energy, and dollars to maintain my spiritual health.
Please don’t misunderstand me.
I am continually growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through getting my mind renewed with truth (Rom. 12:2; 2 Pet. 3:18).
But that is not maintaining my spiritual health—or the way I viewed it—keeping me clean and close to God.
I remember when I used to believe that I had to “keep short accounts” with God by confessing all the sins I could remember in order to remain clean and close to Him.
I used to think that is what healthy confession and repentance were.
But not anymore.
Since I’ve come into an understanding of the gospel of grace in Christ Jesus, I have been resting in the truth that I am completely forgiven for the sins of my lifetime and forever right with Him through His finished work on the Cross.
All of that happened when I placed my faith in Him to save me.
Don’t get me wrong.
I still confess and repent, but both are healthy outgrowths of my already-and-forever, clean-and-close union with Christ!
If you want to enjoy greater rest in your relationship with Christ, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, relax, and soak in the following words from Him today:
“My holy bride, confession and repentance are healthy habits that will benefit you when you realize your thoughts, feelings, and actions aren’t reflecting your new heart in Me.”
“Confession simply means to agree with Me that the ways in which you are thinking, feeling, and acting aren’t in harmony with My Spirit.”
“This usually happens when you take your focus off of our holy union and your peace and joy diminish.”
“Repentance simply means to stop paying attention to the disturbing circumstances surrounding you and the distressing noise in your head and start focusing on what is true in your new heart—Me and you, together forever.“
“Vibrant new life is expressed through your thoughts, feelings, and actions when you exercise trusting dependence on My powerful Presence within you.”
“When you realize you are acting like someone you’re not, it makes perfect sense for you to experience godly sorrow that leads to repentance.”
“Telling Me you are sorry for not walking in the truth of your new identity by the power of My Spirit and thanking Me for the forgiveness that is already yours delights My heart!”
“Nevertheless, your confession and repentance don’t make you any cleaner or closer to Me.”
“My shed blood and your initial belief into Me secured an eternally clean heart for you through our holy union.”
“In light of your knowledge of your eternal cleanliness and closeness to Me, it is, however, important for you to realize that your complete forgiveness before Me will not shield you from the earthly consequences of your sin.”
“It also doesn’t mean that you don’t seek forgiveness from other people when you sin against them.”
“In order to maintain healthy relationships, admit your wrongdoing and seek forgiveness from the person you have injured.”
“And be quick to forgive others by the power of My indwelling Spirit when they sin against you.”
“I want you to wake up every morning believing that you stand completely forgiven in Me.”
“This may not be something you fully understand with your mind or feel with your emotions, but you can choose with your will to believe it, regardless of opposing thoughts or feelings.”
“With practice, you will find it easier to believe your way into a new way of feeling than to try to feel your way into a new way of believing.”
(The above words from your Beloved and Scripture List is an excerpt from my book, Fifty Days in His Pursuing Love Devotional.)
You can also watch my YouTube video where I share what’s in this post.
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If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to check out all of my books and my video series based on my first devotional.
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