A Father Unlike His Son - A Heart Like His

In a way dieting is a walk in faith.  Your heart may be willing but the flesh is weak.  I still weigh 128.8 but then again I'm not really eating in a way that is condusive to losing weight. 

For example, yesterday we went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.  They had a special deal on cheesecake in honor of National Cheesecake.  No one has to tell me that eating cheesecake does NOT promote weight loss just in case you don't know.

To make matters worse I ordered their Jamalya pasta.  If you've never been to the Cheesecake Factory then you may not be aware that their entrees are HUGE.  I'm talking big enough for two  people. 

I justified the cheesecake by eating only a fourth of my entree.  I even ate a little less than half of the Oreo Cheesecake but still at the most rational level of my mind I knew I'd had too many calories.  I suppose I'm lucky I didn't gain anything after feasting on cheesecake.

Today's bible study from Beth Moore's David 90 Days With A Heart like his is about faith and making the choice to follow God's will and not your own.  It can be difficult walking with God not because he makes it so difficult but we make it difficult because we often demand our own way no matter what the cost.

Saul’s son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrisons on the other side.”  However, he did not tell his father.  (1 Samuel 14:1)

In what ways has God enabled you to build on the faith and godliness of those generations that have gone before you?
When I was a little girl we went to CCD which I looked upon as yet another day of school which included homework.  Then on Sundays we would often go to church, which for awhile was all done in Latin.  I felt like my whole world was structured and I longed for time off.  By the time I finished sixth grade, my parents had pretty much abandoned going to church every weekend.  They were angry at our local priest for a number of reasons.

For the next three years it was me who would wind up walking to a local Methodist church that I used to pass on the way to and from school.  My parents went there for a little while but they abandoned this church too.  I eventually abandoned that church and for a period of time I lived a life that was less than exemplary.

Periodically I would try to renew my faith and live the life of a believer but that didn’t seem to last too long as I’d always stumble, fall, and revert back to my wild ways.

God strengthened my resolve to become the person I was meant to be. He has helped me rediscover the faith I once had in the innocence of my childhood.  I desperately want to be a true child of GOD.

If you don’t come from a believing background, what have been (or continue to be) your great obstacles in adopting a consistent faith?

I can’t say that I did NOT come from a believing background.  We did go to religious training.  My family did go to church some times.  There were the trappings of religion in our household.  We had a cross on the wall and a Bible in our home. 

What I lacked was the actual example of what exactly did it mean to have a Godly life.  I grew up in an abusive home filled with chaos.  I had no examples of what it meant to be a Christian in my life.

“Knowing” and “doing” are surely distinct things and while I may feel I know what God wills me to do, often I still don’t do it.  I realize that I am personally the greatest obstacles to consistently living my faith. I need to learn submit to God’s will consistently.