Get To The Source Of The Problem...

It seems like whenever I find myself in a project God will use it as a lesson when it's done, and last night was no different. In our home we had grown used to the fact that the water that comes out of the refrigerator door has started to come out slower and slower over the years. It was something that happened so gradually that we had even forgotten how steady and fast it used to flow. And to be honest, I probably never would have worked on it except for the fact that when we returned from vacation it had literally turned into a trickle and wasn't even usable any more. Knowing it had a built in water filter that was the first thing I went for to replace. It seemed obvious since the sensor was already telling me it was time to replace it. However , this proved to not be the problem. Next I looked at the copper line that ran to the back of it and I saw a couple of small bends and kinks, so of course I thought this must be it. So I replaced it. But again, this did not end up being the problem. It wasn't until I went all the way back to the valve that connected to the water pipe in the basement did I finally find the issue. The valve had gone bad and was not allowing the water to flow through it at the rate that it once did. Once this was replaced the water flowed better than we remember if flowing even when the fridge was brand new.

Today God showed me how we can suffer from this same problem in our spiritual lives. We go from a time when God freely and strongly flowed in our lives, to something that is more like a trickle or even at times a drip. The enemy loves to cause "dry seasons" in our spiritual life and just like my water flow issue, he loves to do it so gradually that you don't notice until you feel completely distant from The Lord and can't figure out how to get back where you once were. As I have stated before, rarely does the enemy do something quick and drastic in our lives. He knows if he did we would clearly see this is him and hopefully run back to God for correction and direction. However, if he can desensitize us slowly, draw us away from God over time, and/or get us to slowly walk down the wrong path by making once small bad decision after another, then he knows he can get us to feel alienated from God. And sadly enough, when people get to that point, they sometimes never go back. Sometimes out of guilt and shame, sometimes out of pride, and sometimes out of pure desire for the sin they have gotten messed up in. But it is so important for us to "check the water pressure" in our spiritual life often. If you do feel like things just are not flowing like they used to, then like my water line problem, start to go back to the possible sources of the issue and don't stop until you figure out the problem. That might take getting very real with yourself and doing a true evaluation of certain areas of your life. What have you slowed allowed in or even back in. What shows, movies, music, language, people, bad relationships..or just flat out sin have you allowed to start cutting off the source in which you used to receive Jesus. Much like a water line, things are meant to flow down from Him to you. But when you get things in the way that stop that flow it WILL hinder your ability to receive what He has for you. And like I have also stated in the past, it doesn't have to be "sin" to be in the way of God, it can also just be something you are putting before Him...giving "that thing" to much value and importance in your life.

Colossians 3:2 tells us to "set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth". God knows satan is going to try to tempt you, to distract you. He knows things of this world are going to pull at you for attention. But He also knows what life for you can be like when you stay constantly connected to Him. And that is the life He wants for you!

Today I invite you to ask yourself if the flow from God to you has slowed down at all. If it has evaluate what things may have entered into your life that could be the source of the problem. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". If we are diligent in this very thing it makes is so much harder for the enemy to bring things into our lives that will pull us from our creator....our very source of life.

God, thank You that you can take something so simple and teach us from it. Please help us evaluate our lives through Your eyes and not the eyes of the world. If we have allowed things in that have pulled us from You, then give us the strength to get the root of the problem and allow You to correct and direct us as needed. Thank You for Your grace and mercy.....In Jesus name, Amen