Feed what you want to survive

I had the opportunity to hear Beth Moore speak to a group of college girls in Atlanta a couple years ago. She said that an immeasurable amount of our personal misery in life comes from our insecurity. She later shared an illustration with us about the Altas Moth. This moth is found in Indonesia and its beauty is quite breathtaking. It's wingspan almost reaches 1 foot and is sometimes mistaken for a bird. When a female atlas moth emerges from her cocoon, she can have complete confidence that her splendor exceeds that of all the other moths. However, she spent all her time inside the cocoon developing long, attractive wings that she matured without a mouth or stomach. Sadly, since she can't nourish herself, the outwardly beautiful, inwardly undeveloped moth will die within a few days. She will live long enough to attract a mate and lay eggs, but her extravagant wings will never get more than a day's use. What a shame!

Sometimes our vanity can prevent us from developing spiritual mouths to feed ourselves on God's Word and have a relationship with Him through prayer. We may look great on the outside, but our spirits are starving! I have struggled with this my whole life, as I am sure most women have. Living in todays world, emphasis is put more on the outward appearance than inward beauty. There is a certain way to look and dress according to the media. It is easy to get wrapped up into what someone else says we should look like or should be. But our main concern should be the condition of our heart and pleasing God. Galatians 1:10 says "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." We can't do both, although many try. We must choose which part of us we are going to feed...our spirit or our flesh. Each morning we have the choice. In those minutes during my morning quiet times (when and if I make time for it) are a battleground between the mind of Christ and the mind of me—which is going to dominate today? Feed the one you want to survive. My own critical thoughts exhaust me, whereas the words of God bring vitality. How I want the mind of Christ to rule over this area of my life!