“Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; but he that gathereth by labor shall increase.” Prov. 13:11 Today’s Christian daily devotional
Carelessly tossing my latest bill on the towering stack, I dash into the bedroom and call my girlfriend.
The goal is to get my mind distracted with her humor, but Peggy never picks up the line.
Plunking my body into my favorite comfy chair, I flip through the T.V. channels. But, my eyes keep drifting back to the looming stack of bills on my counter. It’s no use. Sighing heavily, I turn the television off and face those seemingly harmless pieces of mail.
I realize that I will not be able to enjoy a thing until I actually confront the growing monster on my desk. I hunker down and roll up my sleeves, knowing this isn’t going to be pretty.
Bill by bill, I comb through the mess. Feeling the aftershock of my impulse purchases packs a heavy punch; I can barely remember what I am actually making my payments on. Somehow, boutique lighting has this amazing ability to make me loose all sense of reality.
The room starts to feel warm and stuffy, so I get up to stretch my legs. I fight the incredible urge rising within me to just get out of the house. I want to participate in my favorite stress-reducing sport: shopping. But, that is the very thing that landed me in this mess to begin with.
So, how did I end up here? I dutifully question myself. At this point it was the least I could do.
The upside of being a dancer is that you make cash every night. And, usually, if I wanted to buy a treat for myself, I would pick up an extra shift or two. This made it much easier to justify and balance out my purchases.
But, working four nights a week in high heels until four in the morning is not an easy thing to do. The motivation to pick up extra shifts wanes quickly. Unfortunately, my passion for shopping was not so easily quelled. So, in answer to my own burning question: my biggest problems were only compounding into a massive credit issue.
I wanted to get a better job. Who wants to be a stripper forever? But, how could I even stop to think about settling for a lower income when I could barely keep myself above water now? I needed to take a bite out of reality.
Proverbs 13:11 speaks the wisdom of: easy come easy go. When we work hard for our money by investing ourselves, we will increase in every way. We will be expanding ourselves financially, spiritually and mentally. This allows us to give our families and ourselves a chance for a better future. Unfortunately, the easy way is the route so many choose to go because they are not patient enough to wait for the better things. What kind of life are you living now? Can you make room for better things? Will you have the patience and take the time to actually earn them?
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I have settled for the easy way but it has actually made my life a living hell.
I feel like I am drowning in the mess I have made for myself. I cannot imagine what life would be like without stressing or worrying about what I will do or be tomorrow.
Today, I want to embark on a new journey. I need a fresh beginning. Will you lead me out of this dark place? I am willing to open my heart and eyes to see the other options I may have glossed over in the past. I will not let my pride get in the way of your blessing.
Help me to not get lazy and to look forward to laboring for the things that will give me a good future, not entrap me in a vicious cycle of defeat.
In Jesus’ precious name, I thank you for the hands and feet you gave me. Bless me to let them work for you and your glory, Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Proverbs 13:11
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan