3-Steps to a Stronger You!
It’s tomato growing season, and like so many gardeners, I’ve started the process from scratch. Watching these seedlings grow, I couldn’t help but see the connection to us!
If you'd permit me...3-steps to a stronger you:
Choices—
It’s all about choices for so much in life, isn’t it?
Same in gardening. The seeds I start with…matter. If they aren’t good. If they aren’t hearty. If they aren’t for my climate, my area, my conditions, then they won’t grow. They would be useless for my needs.
Your choices matter.
What are you choosing in your daily routines? Are you choosing what lifts you up, or tears you down?
Our inner thoughts alone, can be the bane of our existence. The angel and devil on our shoulders, at war with everything about ourselves. The never-ending-loop of what we aren’t, what we don’t, what we can’t, what we won’t.
Choices in our thoughts, and choices in our actions, have profound impact on our lives. Strengths in both come down to the choices we lift up.
Strength happens when we choose the truths of our qualities, over the lies of our faults.
Strength happens when we choose energy of movement, over drudgery of laziness.
Strength happens when we choose the Perfecter, over perfection.
Step 1 to being stronger—Choices!
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Php 4:8
“Physical training is of some value; godliness has value for all things.” 1Tim 4:7
“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2
Environment—
Surroundings mean a lot. Environment matters.
The affects on the seedlings, have an effect over the seedlings. Too sunny, too windy, too wet, too cold—the environment around the tender seedlings directly impacts their growth.
What is your environment? What/who do you surround yourself with? Are you encircled by that which feeds you, or, that which harms you?
So much comes at us in the day. So much vies for our attention. So much says do this and do that. Our external influence will influence our internal…Always! What we allow in our lives, will have its effect over our lives. Control what wants to control you.
Strength happens when we have circles of others of faith.
Strength happens when the Bible is our compass.
Strength happens when we seek heaven over the world.
Step 2 to becoming stronger—Environment!
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."2 Tim 3:16
“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:14
Roots—
The greater the roots, the stronger the resilience.
With each day, the seedlings get bigger and bigger. Why? Because the roots are growing stronger and stronger.
What have you put your trust in? What grounds you? What is your lifeline when you’ll need rescue?
Trials come. Hardships come. Storms come. How deeply we are rooted, determines how grounded our survival.
Strength happens when a Savior matters.
Strength happens when faith leads.
Strength happens when we trust God first.
Step 3 to becoming stronger—Roots!
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.” Psalm 18:2
“Rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Col 2:7
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...” Proverbs 3:5
There is so much in this world that tears us down. But God says, with Him, we can rise above!
We CAN be more resilient,
We CAN be more confident,
We CAN be stronger…
It is all dependent, though, on what we choose, where we grow, and how we’re rooted.
...3 steps to a stronger you—will you try?