"The 'Word' Each Day Keeps the Pills Away"

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

The scene: hot, dry, scorching wilderness. The people involved: Jesus and Satan. The subject: temptation. The temptation for Jesus was to turn rocks into bread. Doesn't seem like much of a tempting situation for me, but for a man who had nothing to eat or drink in the past forty days, it would be an almost unbearable situation. I've been in a few of those. You? Maybe not to turn rocks into bread or have to deny God, but I've definitely felt the pull of temptation a time or two. Here recently, one of my big temptations has been to favor SLEEP over my morning devotion. Now THAT is easily understood, right? After missing quite a few mornings, I've realized a simple fact: the Word each day keeps the pills away.

Please don't misunderstand me. I know sometimes in life people need pills to "balance out" their hormones, emotions, anxiety, etc. For those people who have that kind of imbalance medically, PLEASE for the love of God, take your pill, for our sake and yours! However, at this point in my life, I am perfectly normal. Now that is not to say in my later years I will never have to deal with the ups and downs of menopause, hormones,emotions, anxiety, etc... but for now, I'm in the clear.

I've noticed a pattern over the past couple of months. I'm easily irritated, anxious, moody and controlling. I've also realized those characteristics have surfaced more as my time with the Lord has lessened. Coincidence? I think not. You know, it makes sense when you think about it. You make time to have your morning coffee, your daily gossip session with your girlfriends, maybe a tanning bed visit here and there...oh, and don't forget your afternoon workout! But for some reason, opening up the Bible and reading three words is the most undesirable thing next to eating cottage cheese. Why is that?! Could it be the enemy of our soul knows pausing to read even a sentence from the Bible could change our morning? Maybe it's because Satan knows once we got in the habit of opening the Word everyday, even for five minutes, we would no longer feel the burdens of this world? So, his motive is simple: divert them from the Word AT ALL COSTS!


I have definitely been victim to his schemes, although the more I pay attention, the easier it becomes to see them. I've decided I have two choices to overcome the stresses and emotions of my life: a pill or the Word. I'm going with what I KNOW has worked for me over these many years...the good old faithful Word of God. We may not always be faithful to Him, but He will always be faithful and available for us when we decide we are ready...even if for the 100th time:)