Pure & Lovely

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Phil 4:8

I'm guilty of often glossing over the depth of this oft quoted verse, but today, when attending a revival at my cousin's church, I was became moved and motivated by it.  I have been disobeying my God about a particular issue.  Really, I've been behaving like my toddler, digging my heels in, writhing away, using that slithery "dead weight" posture that toddlers are so good at, kicking and crying, "No, no, NO!"  I've been using every excuse to continue behaving in this sinful way.

"God, don't take this away from me.  I love you.  It doesn't hurt my relationship with you.  It's totally separate from my relationship with you."

Hearing that verse from Philipians today though made me realize that I need to do what I try to get that wild toddler to do, and go to my God, repenting, and lay down this trivial, selfish little thing at his feet and walk away from it.  That verse is the standard by which I should measure all of the things that I allow into my life.  If anything is not beneficial to my relationship with my God, then it is detrimental to it.