Keeping Your Guard Up

On a daily basis I receive a newsletter from a popular TV fitness trainer. This morning I needed to hear what she said. Referring to diet and exercise she wrote, "Just because you are rehabilitated doesn't mean you don't have to be vigilant to guard against a relapse." A few weeks ago I reached my goal weight (AGAIN!). Since then it has been a battle - laziness, poor eating blamed on holidays and lack of time to prepare healthy meals and vacation. All of these excuses have quickly and easily gotten me off track. But the truth is that I made it to my goal weight and I began to relax. That is a dangerous place to be. Feelings of compromise, cheating, I can skip a day; all came flooding in. Pride can easily make one believe that since I have arrived nothing can touch me. What a lie!

The same is true in our walk with Jesus. We can get pretty prideful in thinking we have arrived. We have had a wonderful transformation take place in our hearts and lives because of Christ. Then we get to thinking we have arrived safely or "made it." Before we know it our guard is down. We are not diligent in our study and prayers. We skip prayer meeting and church...just this once... then twice. Read the quote again.

"Just because you are rehabilitated doesn't mean you don't have to be vigilant to guard against a relapse."

No matter what your struggle may have been - alcohol, drugs, food, exercise, devotions - remember that you have been rehabilitated through Jesus Christ. BUT we must always be on guard so that we do not relapse into old ways of thinking and living. Keep your guard up! If you, like me, have let your guard down for a bit, get back to where you need to be! Repent of your prideful thinking that you can go it alone or that you no longer need good disciplines because you have come so far. Remember, the battle never ends. Our guard must always be up!

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 NASB

Watch over (guard) your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23 NASB

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally ,brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:7-8 NASB

Kathy Withers