Author: alyssapebbles

Psalm 119, from the Message version: A reviving prayer

 

You’re blessed when you say on course,

walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

You’re blessed when you follow his directions,

doing your best to find him.

That’s right–you don’t go off on your own;

you walk straight along the road he set.

You, God, prescribed the right way to live;

now you expect us to live it.

Oh, that my steps might be steady,

keeping to the course you set;

Then I’d never have any regrets

in comparing my life with your counsel.

I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;

I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.

I’m going to do what you tell me to do;

don’t ever walk off and leave me.

 

How can a young person live a clean life?

By carefully reading the map of your Word.

I’m single-minded in pursuit of you;

don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted.

I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart

so I won’t sin myself bankrupt.

Be blessed, God;

train me in your ways of wise living.

I’ll transfer to my lips

all the counsel that comes from your mouth;

I delight far more in what you tell me about living

than in gathering a pile of riches.

I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you,

I attentively watch how you’ve done it.

I relish everything you’ve told me of life,

I won’t forget a word of it.

 

Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life;

not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road

Open my eyes so I can see

what you show me of your miracle-wonders.

I’m a stranger in these parts;

give me clear directions.

My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous! —

insatiable for your nourishing commands.

With your very own hands you formed me;

now breathe your wisdom over me so I can understand you.

When they see me waiting, expecting your Word,

those who fear you will take heart and be glad.

I can see now, God, that your decisions are right;

your testing has taught me what’s true and right.

Oh, love me–and right now! –hold me tight!

just the way you promised.

Now comfort me so I can live, really live;

your revelation is the tune I dance to.

Let the fast-talking tricksters be exposed as frauds;

they tried to sell me a bill of goods,

but I kept my mind fixed on your counsel,

Let those who fear you turn to me

for evidence of your wise guidance.

And let me live whole and holy, soul and body,

so I can always walk with my head held high.

 

I’m homesick–longing for your salvation;

I’m waiting for your word of hope.

My eyes grow heavy watching for some sign of your promise;

There’s smoke in my eyes–they burn and water,

but I keep a steady gaze on the instructions you post.

How long do I have to put up with all this?

How long till you haul my tormentors into court?

The arrogant godless try to throw me off track,

ignorant as they are of God and his ways.

Everything you command is a sure thing,

But they harass me with lies. Help!

They’ve pushed and pushed–they never let up–

but I haven’t relaxed my grip on your counsel.

In your great love revive me

so I can alertly obey your every word.

 

What you say goes, God,

and stays, as permanent as the heavens.

Your truth never goes out of fashion;

it’s as up-to-date as the earth when the sun comes up.

Your word and truth are dependable as ever;

that’s what you ordered–you set the earth going.

If your revelation hadn’t delighted me so,

I would have given up when the hard times came.

But I’ll never forget the advice you gave me;

you saved my life with those wise words.

Save me! I’m all yours.

I look high and low for your words of wisdom.

The wicked lie in ambush to destroy me,

but I’m only concerned with your plans for me.

I see the limits to everything human,

but the horizons can’t contain your commands!

 

Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed;

I reverently ponder it all the day long.

Your commands give me an edge on my enemies;

they never become obsolete.

I’ve even become smarter than my teachers

since I’ve pondered and absorbed your counsel.

I’ve become wiser than the wise old sages

simply by doing what you tell me.

I watch my step, avoiding the ditches and ruts of evil

so I can spend all my time keeping your Word.

I never make detours from the route you laid out;

you gave me such good directions.

Your words are so choice, so tasty;

I prefer them to the best home cooking.

With your instruction, I understand life;

that’s why I hate false propoganda.

 

By your words I can see where I’m going;

they throw a beam of light on my dark path.

I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back

from living by your righteous order.

Everything’s falling apart on me, God;

put me together again with your Word.

Festoon me with your finest sayings, God;

teach me your holy rules.

My life is as close as my own hands,

but I don’t forget what you have revealed.

The wicked do their best to throw me off track,

but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.

I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever–

what a gift! And how happy it makes me!

I concentrate on doing exactly what you say–

I always have and always will.

 

I hate the two-faced,

but I love your clear-cut revelation.

You’re my place of quiet retreat;

I wait for your Word to renew me.

Get out of my life, evildoers,

so I can keep my God’s commands.

Take my side as you promised; I’ll live then for sure.

Don’t disappoint all my grand hopes.

Stick with me and I’ll be all right;

I’ll give total allegiance to your definitions of life.

Expose all who drift away from your sayings;

their casual idolatry is lethal.

You reject earth’s wicked as so much rubbish;

therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say.

I shiver in awe before you;

your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.

 

I stood up for justice and the right;

don’t leave me to the mercy of my oppressors.

Take the side of your servant, good God;

don’t let the godless take advantage of me.

I can’t keep my eyes open any longer, waiting for you

to keep your promise to set everything right.

Let your love dictate how you deal with me;

teach me from your textbook on life.

I’m your servant–help me understand what that means,

the inner meaning of your instructions.

It’s time to act, God;

they’ve made a shambles of your revelation!

Yea-Saying God, I love what you command,

I love it better than gold and gemstones;

Yea-Saying God,  I honor everything you tell me,

I despise every deceitful detour.

 

Every word you give me is a miracle word–

how could I help but obey?

Break open your words, let the light shine out,

let ordinary people see the meaning.

Mouth open and panting,

I wanted your commands more than anything.

Turn my way, look kindly on me,

as you always do to those who personally love you.

Steady my steps with your Word of promise

so nothing malign gets the better of me.

Rescue me from the grip of bad men and women

so I can live life your way.

Smile on me, your servant;

teach me the right way to live.

I cry rivers of tears

because nobody’s living by your book!

 

You are right and you do right, God;

your decisions are right on target.

You rightly instruct us in how to live

ever faithful to you.

My rivals nearly did me in,

they persistently ignored your commandments.

Your promise has been tested through and through,

and I, your servant, love it dearly.

I’m too young to be important,

but I don’t forget what you tell me.

Your righteousness is eternally right,

your revelation is the only truth.

Even though troubles came down on me hard,

your commands always gave me delight.

The way you tell me to live is always right;

help me understand it so I can live to the fullest.

 

I call out at the top of my lungs,

“God! Answer! Ill do whatever you say.”

I called to you, “Save me

so I can carry out all your instructions.”

I was up before sunrise,

crying for help, hoping for a word from you.

I stayed awake all night,

prayerfully pondering your promise.

In your love, listen to me;

in your justice, God, keep me alive.

As those out to get me come closer and closer,

they go farther and farther from the truth you reveal;

But you’re the closest of all to me, God,

and all your judgments true.

I’ve known all along from the evidence of your words

that you meant them to last forever.

 

Take a good look at my trouble, and help me–

I haven’t forgotten your revelation.

Take my side and get me out of this;

give me back my life, just as you promised.

“Salvation” is only gibberish to the wicked

because they’ve never looked it up in your dictionary.

Your mercies, God, run into the billions;

following your guidelines, revive me.

My antagonists are too many to count,

but I don’t swerve from the directions you gave.

I took one look at the quitters and was filled with loathing;

they walked away from your promises so casually!

Take note of how I love what you tell me;

out of your life of love, prolong my life.

Your words all add up to the sum total: Truth.

Your righteous decisions are eternal.

 

I’ve been slandered unmercifully by the politicians,

but my awe at your words keeps me stable.

I’m ecstatic over what you say,

like one who strikes it rich.

I hate lies–can’t stand them! —

but I love what you have reveale

d.Seven times each day I stop and shout praises

for the way you keep everything running right.

For those who love what you reveal, everything fits–

no stumbling around in the dark for them.

I wait expectantly for your salvation;

God, I do what you tell me.

My soul guards and keeps all your instructions–

oh, how much I love them!

I follow your directions, abide by your counsel;

my life’s an open book before you.

 

Let my cry come right into your presence, God;

provide me with the insight that comes only from your Word.

Give my request your personal attention,

rescue me on the terms of your promise.

Let praise cascade off my lips;

after all, you’ve taught me the truth about life!

And let your promises ring from my tongue;

every order you’ve given is right.

Put out your hand and steady me

since I’ve chosen to live by your counsel.

I’m homesick, God, for your salvation;

I love it when you show yourself!

Invigorate my soul so I can praise you well,

use your decrees to put iron in my soul.

And should I wander off like a lost sheep–seek me!

I’ll recognize the sound of your voice.

 

 

 

We have choices to make every second of every day. We think most of them are trivial, and yet they all add up to become habits and lifestyles. The small choices we make today can have big implications for our daily life and our well being.

What does it look like to live deliberately and intentionally? I watched a sermon by a pastor at a church in Portland, Oregon, who talked about slowing down. He talked about how living deliberately means to stop racing the clock. We will never have enough time, even if we added ten hours to each day, as the pastor put it. But we can make time for the things that are important by cutting out the things that aren’t- the things that drain our mind, body, and soul.

Since my summer in Bellingham, I have felt a strong pull on my heart to go back to the basics- with what I eat, what I wear, how I spend my time, and what I focus my heart on. It’s a call back to my natural self; the self that is in harmony with Jesus, living the “unforced rhythms of grace.” It is living “freely and lightly”- completely countercultural. Swimming upstream. Eliminating those things in our lives that are harmful to our spirits, whether that is processed food (our bodies are temples) or obsessively checking our smartphones every two minutes. The things that we consider part of our daily lives, dictated by our consumerist, manic culture, are actually killing our souls. We have never been more anxious, depressed, or lonely.

What is the answer? Living deliberately the way Jesus lived. Doing one thing at a time; living completely in the present, unafraid of what is to come. Not rushing through our daily activities, but leaning fully into them. Being aware and awake. I want to be awake. I want to be alive and free and joyful and new. That is the promise when we take up our cross, and the yoke is easy, the burden is light. Living like Jesus is not a chore- its a cure. Its a cure to our insane culture that is sucking the lives out of us.

Put down your phone and take up your cross.

Matthew 11:28-30

We don’t like to be uncomfortable. We don’t like to be confronted with our own shortcomings, the things we’ve tried to ignore for so long until they are no longer ignorable. But discomfort is the way God enables us to grow. Lean into discomfort. 

I was forced to face my own privilege on a mission trip serving the homeless this past weekend. We took an old homeless man to Chipotle, and sat with him as he told us the story of his life and the pain he has gone through in broken English. His name is Eddie and he grew up in Bosnia. He was a sniper in the war and spoke of a constant companion of PTSD that had followed him since. His family and his heart was broken, and as I looked into his tear-stained eyes I couldn’t hold it together. I was forced to face the pain in this world, the pain that those less fortunate than I have had to go through. Why does God allow this pain? I couldn’t bear it.

Staring into Eddie’s eyes changed me. It made me uncomfortable. It made me have to acknowledge the fact that I have so much privilege I don’t know what to with it; that I have a warm home and supportive friends and family and a good school and food whenever I want it. I’ve become so comfortable with my privilege that I complain when I have to be outside in the cold for more than five minutes or unglue my eyes from Netflix to help a friend out. I’ve become so comfortable with my privilege that I have to look away when I see that others are not as privileged as I am. I don’t deserve it, but surely God doesn’t want me to be ashamed. So what am I supposed to do?

The weekend was hard for me, to be sure, but it sparked something in me. It reminded me that my heart has been distracted, that I have been caught up in trivialities and lost my close relationship that God that I once longed for; that I keep choosing comfort over calling. God calls us to be uncomfortable- to step out of our comfort zones and into the unknown, into the uncertain. Because it is in that place where we learn to trust; when we can’t rely on ourselves and our own capabilities, when we are forced to look at our own selfish hearts and see how far we have to go, we must turn to God or else will be swallowed up in self-loathing. And God isn’t disgusted with us, with our privilege and laziness and complacency, although He should be. Rather, he is merciful and offers us grace and forgiveness. The conviction is never meant to shame, but rather to grow. However, if we continue to ignore His calling and live on as we were before, the shame will be inevitable.

God does not want me to be ashamed of my privilege, but rather grateful. Everything good in our lives is a gift from God, and if we acknowledge that instead of taking for granted all that we are blessed with, God will continue to provide. He doesn’t want me to fix homelessness or do anything drastic, but rather choose His way in each small moment; smile at a homeless  person as I walk by, or donate 10% of my earnings to a charity. We have been given so much, and if we use those gifts for good God will be pleased.

It’s so easy when tensions get high to let negative energy build and build. The little nuances of a seemingly hostile glance or over exaggerated sigh can speak the words we are afraid to say, the confrontation we don’t want to have; that passive-aggressive interplay which ultimately can destroy a friendship. I find myself in the position of hating, rather than loving, which is what Christ commands and therefore I should be practicing.

I felt rather convicted after talking to a friend today, who is nothing but compassionate and life-giving, and felt as though my words were harsh and life-sucking. I realized it was because of the hatred I was letting build up in me and had nowhere else to diffuse. Hate is a powerful thing, a thing we never want in our lives. It only kills and destroys. And yet here I am, letting the subtle and sneaky vines of hate creep into my heart. It is only as I listen for God’s voice that I can see it’s gnarled fingers clawing at my being. And I refuse to let it take hold.

There will always be difficult people in your life; people that you don’t see eye to eye with. People that make you want to scream and cry and yell and punch things. There will always be these people. And it is easy to hate them, it really is. It’s the easy thing. The hard thing is recognizing them as fellow, struggling human beings. People who need love and hope and a friend to come alongside them, as Jesus did. There is already so much hate in the world that adding yours is going to make no difference- but practicing love, well that will make all the difference. Difficult people don’t expect to be loved. They don’t expect to be treated kindly when they treat others unkindly. They don’t expect anyone to care about them. So love them, treat them kindly, care about them. See what happens. And don’t expect to be loved in return. Give it freely and unconditionally. It will change them, from the inside out. That is what Jesus’ love did for us. I know its hard, sometimes even impossible. Sometimes I would rather throw something. But you want to know a secret? Love heals.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ~1 Corinthians 13:4-7

 

There is so much to be afraid of in our world. Sometimes it feels like we are heading toward the end times, or even already in the end times. Natural disasters, crazy politics, rapidly advancing technology…where will this all lead?

Yesterday as I flew back from California to Washington, I had a panic attack as we experienced unprecedented turbulence. I have terrible flight anxiety and reeled in my window seat as the two guys next to me probably thought I was losing it. In those moments of complete panic and terror, I had to let go- let go of everything I thought I had control over- let go of my own life. I had to surrender to God, trust Him with my very life and acknowledge that I have. no. control.

We have the illusion of control in this world, but it is just that- an illusion. And the more we try to tighten our grip, the more out of control we will feel. That is because we were not created to control; that’s God’s job. We were created to enjoy God’s creation, to enjoy His design for our lives instead of our own. Instead of grabbing for money, power, and control, which are all motivated by fear, we are to let go and allow God to bless us abundantly. This feels risky, but it is so much better than trying to hold on to everything, only to lose it all in the end.

Before we hit the turbulence, God blessed me with an incredible sunset view; one that I would never be able to see if I had not reached those heights. He enabled me to face my fear of flying- the ultimate test of trust- and empowered me with His grace and beauty. We don’t need to be afraid, and aren’t meant to be afraid. God is more powerful than any of the things we are afraid of, even death itself.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ~ Psalm 23:4

Home is a weird thing. Home, meaning the place you grew up in. Is that home? Or is home where the heart is, as they say?

When I come home, for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Spring break and summer, I feel like I’m transported to the past. My “home” is the place where I grew up, where I had the same friends for eighteen years and experienced heartbreak and sadness and joy and freedom. But I was also chained, as many of us were, growing up. Not by my family, not by my friends- by my own mind. I battled depression for so much of my life, but didn’t even know to call it that. I was unhappy in middle school and high school. That’s why coming home can be so painful sometimes; seeing the places that caused me so much angst and anxiety. But it gets easier every time, and now home is different than it was. Now I can come home and feel peaceful, not anxiety-ridden. Now I can drive past my high school, where I spent so much time hating myself, and feel a separation. There is no emotional attachment anymore, or at least only a remnant.

The problem was me, it was always me. And when I come home, it’s easy to revert back into that old me, the me that I am no longer. Something about family can bring out the worst in us- but it can also bring out the best in us if we will let it. If we will let our homes not ensnare us and keep us chained but rather experience the freedom of overcoming those old ways and remembering that we are new creations, we are not who we used to be, then home can be an old place and a new place. A place of redemption.

Sometimes I don’t like who I am when I come home. I fight with my brother, act entitled and materialistic, and fall back into old habits. But each time, I bring with me parts of my new self- my new interest in nutrition which allows me to connect with my mom in a different way; my understanding of politics and world news which helps me have intelligent conversations with my dad; my new sense of humor to joke with my brother. Although I may have once been ignorant and selfish, I have changed, and I have to remember that. I have to remind myself constantly that I am not who I was, because that is the Devil’s favorite way of capturing us: making us believe we can never change. He is terrified that we can and do change, because then he has no power over us. Then we never have to allow those things that used to bind us hold us anymore. God has created us new and changed and with God on our side, who can be against us?

I am so grateful for the way I was raised, the privilege I had and still have. I have more than I could ever possibly need or want, and that is not something I need to feel guilty about. Rather, God asks me to give, and give abundantly, all that I have. He asks me to be a steward, and a steward I shall be. I am growing and changing and learning, but it is good to have a reference point to come back to every now and then.

Friendship can be beautiful. Friendship can be painful. Friendships change, as we change and the other person changes. Sometimes our growth aligns; sometimes it doesn’t. When it doesn’t it can be hard, when we become two different people than we used to be. When we don’t laugh at the same things anymore or misunderstand each other. When one is stuck and the other is blossoming. When jealousy, bitterness, and competition rear their ugly heads. When there is an underlying tension that nobody wants to speak aloud.

Friendship is a hard thing, but it is a necessary thing. Without our friends, we cannot survive. We cannot be alone- that is not how our Creator made us to be. Alone we die, but together we thrive. Our friends help us find our way when we are lost, break through our walls when we’ve barricaded ourselves, lift us up when we are down. Without our friends, we are hopeless.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Though we may grow distant from our friends at times, there is a deeper bond between us that will last- the friends that you haven’t talked to in ages that you can just pick up where you left off when you see them in person, the reconciliation of a friendship gone sour with a simple hug and knowing smile, the common enemy that brings us together, to support one another and fight the good fight.

Jesus is our friend- He is the best friend we will ever have. And even when we feel lonely, we can know that we are not alone. He sees every tear and knows every joy we experience. And He is right there with us when we are hurt, a shoulder to cry on. He knows us inside and out and loves us unconditionally, like our best friends do. Never take that for granted, that friendship. It is one of the truest blessings and most powerful pieces of Heaven we will ever get to experience on Earth. The heart of Jesus can be seen in our very best friends.

There will be growing pains, but don’t give up. You are loved.

Sometimes we really need closure. Need for closure is a trait that some possess, but others do not. I like closure. A lot. And I got closure this weekend. At least a fraction of closure, a little something straight from the heart of God. God doesn’t always want to give us closure- he wants to test our patience and not give us all the answers we want; not allow us a quick-fix which will really fix nothing in the end.

But God is good and He knew I needed healing and He provided- in the form of good company, old, abandoned campgrounds, and long, reflective drives. Going back was something I both longed for and dreaded, because I didn’t know what kind of emotions would be brought up and what kind of brokenness I would re-experience. I left that place in despair; I came back with hope. God met me there, not with spite but with mercy after mercy and a hummingbird in the dead cold: my personal symbol of freedom. I needed to go back, and He knew I needed to go back. I am so grateful I did. I am so grateful for where He has brought me since this summer and how much deliverance I have experienced from the anxiety and fear that overtook me, the spirit of oppression that weighed down my weak and fragile heart. In reliance on Him I endured, and overcame, albeit a little rough around the edges. It was He who created relationships in my life that I am beyond thankful for- people that bring me to the edge of myself and show me what it means to truly live, to truly see as He sees. Free people. This summer I met the freest people, and I became one. I am freer today because I was shackled. I have hope because I was hopeless. Isn’t that always the story?

Don’t run away from your pain. There is deliverance on the other side, I promise you. I promise you that God is good and even though it doesn’t always feel like that- even though it sometimes feels like the walls are pressing in on all sides and you can barely breathe, or make it another minute. God is there and He will deliver you. The pain ends. And the pain grows you. Oh, it grows you. And then you will look back on it and understand, and you will thank God with a thankfulness that words can’t speak.

I don’t want to become complacent. I have tasted the incredible beauty of what God has to offer us, and I don’t want to miss it because I am distracted, because I am reliant on only myself. The stars shine brightest when the night is the darkest, so don’t run away from the night. The night is scary, but you are not alone- you are never, ever alone. I don’t want to forget what I experienced this summer, as hard as it was. I want to hold onto those moments with God that were unlike any moments I had ever known before. I received closure this weekend, but that does not mean it is over. My story is still being written and so is yours. All of ours are in the Big God Story, where all of our lives are intertwined and one day we will look back and see how it all makes sense. If it doesn’t make sense right now, it’s okay.

Maybe we don’t need closure-maybe we need Jesus and that is enough. I think it is enough.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. ~Matthew 11:28-30

I don’t know much about politics, but I know enough and care enough to know that we are headed down a dangerous path with the latest election, the very first presidential election I was eligible to vote in. This is disheartening.

While many grieve throughout our country, many are celebrating, and as much as we want to be spiteful and hateful towards those who elected a dishonorable man to be our president, we cannot and absolutely should not. This divide is exactly what the devil wants- always to divide. The more he can pit us against one another, the more he can have his way in our lives. Friend against friend, husband against wife, mother against daughter…this is the working of the Evil One. And while many people may be looking at Trump as the Evil One, he is merely a man, influenced by sin as we all are. We can demonize him all we want, but the real Demon is lurking behind all of our snarky comments and growing hatred. Trump may have won the election, but we cannot let the Devil win our hearts.

We have a Savior we can cling to during the times to come, knowing that He will be our rock and safe place when we may not feel safe or grounded. He calls us to be patient and forbearing during trials, and so we must be. Most of all, we must come together as a nation and support each other, regardless of our political views. As long as there is discord and conflict, we are vulnerable to the Enemy. Let’s not let him have his way.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. ~John 16:33

 

When we feel attacked, we often want to attack back. An eye for an eye, a nose for a nose…whatever you want to call it. But as children of God, we are asked to respond differently to conviction- not to seek revenge or act out but to learn from our mistakes and offer ourselves the grace that Christ so freely offers us. Easier said than done.

There is something utterly threatening to our very being when we know we must change our ways, whether that means being less materialistic, changing the way we interact with others, or ending some bad habit or addiction. It is an experience of cognitive dissonance, as I have learned from Social Psychology: acting in opposition to what we believe and our values- basically being a hypocrite. We are good at talking the talk, but do we really walk the walk?

I notice when I feel convicted, the way I see the world around me is tinted. I am annoyed easily, I get frustrated by people; I am ultimately angry at myself. I always know that’s what it comes down to-this disappointment in the way that I am not living up to God’s expectations for me, acting out of selfishness instead of conviction. But God is so gracious and does not hold our sin against us, so we don’t have to hold it against ourselves. Sometimes I find it easier and more comfortable to live in guilt and shame (because it is what I have always known) than to acknowledge my sin and bring it before Him, and then move on. It’s the moving on part that is scary- the part where we have to actually change our ways and live differently. We would rather be miserable than live into that scary freedom that Christ offers us–we think.

Instead of being consumed by anger, guilt, or fear, what if we allowed God to mold us and shape us through our sin, through our repentance? What if we truly let go of those things that hold us back, even though they are comfortable restraints? Last night I heard a sermon about the little gods we worship- health, beauty, success, relationships. These are gods we have known for so long that giving them up can feel like the most painful thing, when in reality giving them up opens us up to an entirely new and free way of life. I know my little gods: vanity, materialism, self-righteousness. I don’t want them in my life anymore, and God doesn’t either. Give up your little gods for the one Big God. It’s worth it.