If you read my last post about being weary and tired of sin, then you know that this is something that has just worn me down. Beating myself up over the once a week, these one or two addictions kept coming back to haunt me and not being able to fight them off.
The 40 days just wouldn't leave my mind, and after a few hours, I realized that the New Year was about 50 days away. I had also listened to a sermon that morning about making a life change. That we all want to change but put it off until tomorrow. Which of course never comes. I realized that I don't want next year to come, only to look back and wish I would have started last year.
I have heard many times that it takes three weeks to form a bad habit and 21-30 days to break one.
So I gave myself the 40 day challenge to be a new person in 41 days. That temptation was not going to get me this time. I would spend those 40 days fighting it off with all my heart, mind and soul. That during these 40 days I would continue to listen to inspiring sermons daily, That I would faithfully read the bible nightly before going to bed instead of watching T.V. That I would ask God to make me a new person. Okay, Okay.. God made me a new person quite awhile ago. I guess I just want to be more pleasing and obedient to God. To have a new and more wonderful relationship with him.
2014 will not be the beginning of my walk, but I hope & pray that it will be the most significant year of my life of growing in my walk with our amazing and loving God. A year of deliverance. A year of Discipleship, A year of praying for and healing of others. A year of amazing opportunities.
When we need to take a nap we say that we are going to get 40 winks. I found that this term quite possibly came from an old Roman measurement of time. A wink was equal to 30 seconds, 40 winks = 20 minute nap. But we do know that the number 40 represents a period of time. 40 days is a long period of time, such as a month. 40 years can represent a generation. Did you know that the number 40 appears in the bible many times and so often seems to be dealing in context with judgement or testing (the length of time necessary to accomplish some major part of Gods plan in his dealings with various portions of mankind).
In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:12). After Moses killed the Egyptian, he fled to Midian, where he spent 40 years in the desert tending flocks (Acts 7:30). Moses was on Mount Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 24:18). Moses interceded on Israel’s behalf for 40 days and 40 nights (Deuteronomy 9:18, 25). The Law specified a maximum number of lashes a man could receive for a crime, setting the limit at 40 (Deuteronomy 25:3). The Israelite spies took 40 days to spy out Canaan (Numbers 13:25). The Israelites wandered for 40 years (Deuteronomy 8:2-5). Before Samson’s deliverance, Israel served the Philistines for 40 years (Judges 13:1). Goliath taunted Saul’s army for 40 days before David arrived to slay him (1 Samuel 17:16). When Elijah fled from Jezebel, he traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mt. Horeb (1 Kings 19:8).
The number 40 also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel (4:6; 29:11-13) and Jonah (3:4).
In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:2). There were 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3).
I don't know what kind of challenge you are dealing with, but I think of those out there whom read my post from all over the world. From Canada, South Korea, South Africa, Vietnam, France, Germany, Bangladesh to South Africa and Ukraine. I would so like to know who you are, how you are doing and what is your story? I keep asking myself, is there some way that we could all help each other out from so far away? A facebook group page perhaps? A place of privacy where one could be completely open with no judgement? A place to talk, to cry, to ask for prayer, to heal. Thoughts?
My 41 days will end just before the New Year begins. Making New Year's Day my 41st day I believe was God speaking to me. That now was the time. Not next month or next year, but NOW!!!
The 40 days demands commitment, strength and above all a willingness to come apart. In return builds self-acceptance, self-confidence, self love and happiness. Sounds pretty pleasant to me.
New Year's Day of course for most is a significant day that we all promise to make changes and to be a new person. Won't you take the 40 day challenge to be a new you? Whatever that means to you. 40 days of praying, 40 days of breaking a bad habit/addiction. 40 days of giving thanks to God, 40 days of helping your neighbor.. 40 days, 40 days... One small step at a time.
No comments:
Post a Comment