Friends, fellow mothers of young children, business women. Did you know there is a battle going on right now, and if you name yourself a follower of Christ, you are in the midst of it?

Did you know that one of the enemy’s tactics to keep you from growing in Christ and reaching the point of dangerously living each day by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus from the dead, is to bring your focus on yourself? Subtly, with great reason and some truth mixed in, he seeks to focus your gaze on you. I know from experience.

In my current calling of life, this call to focus on myself goes as follows. Perhaps you can relate. I’m extremely busy all day long. Cleaning, training, straightening out tangles, feeding, soothing, helping, playing. Throughout the day, quietly, in the background, there’s a voice telling me, “Wow. This is such a challenging day. You really are going above and beyond what others in your situation are doing. Just wait until you get a free moment. That movie on Netflix you’ve been planning on seeing is waiting for you, and when you finally get to sit down and watch it…..well, that’s where you’ll finally get some rest.”

Sadly, I have listened to that voice many a time. The kids are finally in bed, and I have bought into the lie mixed with truth, and have become convinced that I need some quiet time. I need to be poured into now. I’ve spent the whole day pouring into others. This movie is just what I need. Everyone needs their down time. This is mine. It’s a harmless film. I just get to check out for awhile. Nothing wrong with that. I’m human, after all, and everyone reaches their breaking point sometime. This down time, watching a movie, is where I will get my rest.

Yes, it’s true that I’m human. It’s true I need to be poured into. It’s true that today has been quite the day. It’s true that a movie can be harmless and entertaining and good. But alas, I have swerved into a self-focused victim mindset, where I am the poor tired mother who needs a break, and I have determined where my rest will come from without running first to my Helper and Sustainer, my Counselor, my Friend, my Lord and my God who loves me so deeply and has a five-course refreshing and replenishing meal waiting for me in Himself and His words instead of the popcorn and Skittles I chose for myself.

Then, turning to movies or fill-in-the-blank becomes normal. It’s every night, or most every spare moment you have. It’s where you seek your rest. You begin putting in worldly junk food when your soul and spirit are craving true sustenance. You begin setting your mind on things of this earth. You begin growing dull to the voice of your Lord, because you don’t stop to listen to him. Your priorities start slowly shifting…almost too quietly and subtly for you to notice. Your appetite for rest, by the way, is never really satiated by that one movie. In fact, often you feel more tired or drawn out after watching, or feel as if you need to watch just one more episode of that show before you go to bed.

And there is your enemy, grinning in glee, because he has succeeded in drawing your eyes down from your glorious and awesome Savior, and your main concern has become filling yourself. He has you completely distracted, numbed out to a life lived by the Spirit for God’s purpose, and you are not a threat to him anymore.

Friends, there is so much more for you! There is a better existence for you! One that is more exciting, more fulfilling, more unpredictable and heart-breaking and joyous. One with eternal rewards. One that seeks to bring glory to the only One who is deserving of it. Do not worry about being fed. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He takes most excellent care of his sheep. Do not worry about the load. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. Do not worry about going at it alone. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not worry about missing out. This life is but a breath, and living for the coming life everlasting begins now. We cannot begin to imagine the glories that are awaiting us who are eager for Jesus’ return and living in anticipation of him. Have I said it clearly enough yet? It is so much BETTER to be about God’s work, God’s mission, God’s purposes than to be about our own!

A word to my fellow mothers of young ones: I have been in the above place for at least 3 years. God has faithfully and consistently been calling me out of the numbed-out existence to live by his purposes and priorities. Praise God for his faithfulness to me, and for bringing me out of it. I will still watch the occasional movie or show, but it is no longer what I look forward to when I’m tired. It is no longer my rest. It’s so beautiful, where he has brought me! I actually don’t want to watch those movies or shows anymore! When I’m bone-weary, I would rather open my Bible, or listen to someone preaching through a portion of the Bible (or nap. Naps are good. Naps are glorious, God-given gifts!). God’s words are true food. He gives living water that satisfies. His presence is where I find the greatest comfort. I’ve lost my taste for popcorn and Skittles, and have grown an appetite for richer foods. He has changed my heart. He gave me eyes to see what I was truly doing, and brought me repentance from my self-focused existence. It is still a current battle, but now it is one I am aware of and fighting by the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you are in a place where your diet has been junk food, and you are aware of it and sick of it, but do not know how to stop, if you are a blood-bought child of God through Jesus Christ, I have good news for you. You serve a God who is more powerful than our enemy, and more powerful than your flesh. He lives in you. You are a temple of his Holy Spirit. He who gave life to Jesus Christ will also give life to you. You can fall on your knees before him and ask for his help. Ask for him to give you repentance. Ask to be broken over what breaks his heart. Ask for his priorities. Ask for faith to believe that what he offers is truly better and more satisfying than where you’ve been going for life, meaning and rest. Ask and believe. Turn back to him in faith that he is who he says he is. Eat and drink – he is altogether satisfying and good! Then watch and see what he begins doing through your life.