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There’s No Shortcut To Spiritual Growth

January 20, 2017 By Sandra Sheridan Leave a Comment

Can you follow my directions from 24 Stewart Avenue to 4 Hamilton Avenue, Kearny, NJ?

Isaiah 53:11 “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.”

There is a process for every accomplishment. In order to excel at anything you must follow the prescribed pattern for success. For example, a musician must spend hours rehearsing his instrument, an athlete must build muscle and prowess through regular exercise, and a student must focus on his studies to achieve a degree. But many people like to circumvent the process. They like to look for a shortcut!

As a child I lived in Northern New Jersey just outside New York City. Our house was nestled among many others with only alleys and driveways for separation. To visit our Grandma several blocks away we needed to walk to the bottom of our hill on Stewart Avenue, follow the River Road (Passaic Avenue), cut the corner on Jefferson Avenue to the Manner Park, take the sidewalk around the park, and then walk to the end of Hamilton Avenue before we would reach Grandma’s house. This took up an awful lot of time so Uncle Chuck and I developed a network of shortcuts.

If we crossed the street and snuck through the neighbor’s yard, dashed down the alley of the neighbor behind that, and then cut through the park, we could eliminate a good deal of time. I mean, the shortest distance between two places is a straight line, right?

This method of travel was only good if we didn’t get caught. The house across the street from us was vacant, but the other neighbors didn’t always take too kindly to young trespassers invading their space. Then there was always the problem of unfriendly watchdogs that would make a racquet or threaten us. Sometimes it really wasn’t worth the shortcut!

While there is no real good shortcut for certain physical goals like athletic or musical accomplishment, neither are there any shortcuts in the spiritual realm. J. Vernon McGee (your Great-Grandma’s favorite radio preacher) said, “. . . two themes belong together – suffering and satisfaction. Suffering always precedes satisfaction.”

The Bible constantly reminds us that we will suffer various trials in life, but that these test, prove, and strengthen our faith as we gain victory through the power that God provides. This testing produces endurance resulting in eventual perfection. There is no shortcut to these ends. We must bravely endure, and even count as joy, what God knows will make us strong. Thankfully, the Lord does not send us down a difficult road alone.

Dr. McGee reminds us that even God did not take a shortcut. He sent His perfect Son, Jesus, to suffer the torment of the cross so that we could be made right with God and share in His glory. He didn’t take the easy way out, but did all that was necessary to grant us salvation. The prophet Isaiah was correct: “As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied . . .”  

When you are in the midst of a trial that is threatening to overwhelm you, don’t look for a convenient shortcut around the problem. Instead, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. Consider all he endured so you will not grow weary and lose heart. Keep going, keep trusting, and remember: there’s no shortcut to spiritual growth!

Love,
Mama

Walking to Get There

January 19, 2015 By Sandra Sheridan Leave a Comment

Galatians 5:25 “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

“I am having a hard time reading my Bible and praying.” These are the words I have heard so often from numerous different people. We have heard that a growing relationship with God and living in the power of His Spirit is developed through these disciplines, but so often it is hard to put them into practice. As I have grown over the past decades, I have come to define the process of developing my friendship with God as taking a walk.
Great Grandma Thomson was a walker. She did not have a driver’s license, so she spent many hours and miles walking to places she wanted to go. I remember numerous times walking with her when I was younger. Sometimes we would leave her house in Northern New Jersey, walk up the Belleville Turnpike to Kearny Avenue and continue on this main street until we would reach Green’s Market. While there we would pick out the things she needed for that night’s dinner and carry them back down the avenue and pike to her kitchen where she would set about to prepare a nutritious meal.
This was a regular occurrence for her as she could only carry a little at a time. It was necessary for her to discipline herself  daily to walk to the market to gather what she needed for each day. When we were together we would talk about many different things and she would share stories about her childhood and life. It was a very pleasant time for both of us.
I consider reading the Bible and praying as taking a daily walk with Him. It is a discipline that is important to develop and maintain if you want the friendship to grow and if you want to gain the “spiritual nutrition” that gives you strength for the long journey of your life.
If Great Grandma had considered all the miles she walked in a lifetime it may have felt overwhelming, but she didn’t. She just thought about what she had to do for that particular day and  she did it. Looking back the distance she had come was huge, but she accomplished it one step at a time.
If you are having a hard time applying the disciplines of Bible reading and prayer, don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Just start by setting aside ten minutes each day to take a walk with God. Read a few verses, pray about them, and listen for God to speak. You may even like to write some of your thoughts in a journal. As time goes by your walks will get longer and your friendship will grow stronger.
Great Grandma lived a long and vibrant life. I believe it had something to do with the fact that she was a walker. Her daily ritual kept her body strong and healthy. If you want to have a healthy spiritual life, put on your walking shoes and take the first step. Living with God’s Spirit means walking with Him every day.
Love,
Mama

 

 

Welcome to Verses From  Mama. Open these letters and receive words of truth, healing and hope written to all who long for a mama’s touch.  ~Sandy

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