Had to share this devotion...LOVED IT!!! it trully made me think about hinderances in my life!

Belly-Button Hindrances


I have a good friend that is totally "hip". Really "with-it". All the things I am not.

Well, I have hips...substantial ones. And my "with-it"...sounds more like something I'd say after I had been to the dentist and returned with my mouth numb...

I asked her permission to share this story with you. When it happened...hmmm, let's just say---the LORD spoke to me through it.

Lisa was having trouble with her back. Her neck. Her shoulder. This was tough---especially since she is a faithful gym-goer. She had been having trouble with "strength" ---lifting the weights. So she made an appointment to see her Chiropractor.

As he began to examine her, and question her, he maneuvered her for a response to her reflexes, testing her resistance, and he noticed the weakness on one side. "Lisa", he said with a questioning tone, "do you have a belly-button ring?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do". She replied--she was, after all very "hip and with-it", and loved her belly-button ring.

"Do you mind taking it out?" Dr. Carnes needed to prove what he felt was the problem.

After she removed the metal, he began his testing all over. This time, her body reacted differently to each maneuver. She had strength. It was almost like you had removed the cryptonite from Superman's space and his strength returned.

With a puzzled expression, she wanted to know why it made a difference. His explanation made perfect sense. The metal, or foreign object was interrupting the energy flow of her body. Something was blocking her physical strength. But once the hindrance was removed...strength returned.

Do you see what I saw? The instant parallel of our strength in Christ vs. the hindrances of the world came racing to my mind.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." Romans 12:2 NLT

To her, and many others, the belly-button ring was attractive. A symbol. But to her body, it was a hindrance. Might not have been noticed before. May not have even "felt" the resistance before. But at this time in her life...the change of the energy flow was noticed. She is only a few years younger than I am, but in excellent physical condition. I on the other hand, well, if you know me...you know. I am a bookoholic instead of a gymoholic. It shows.

After she told me this, I immediately told her, "you know this will have to be a blog". I smiled, already hearing the Lord speaking to my heart. Because He knows me. He knows the things I have been neglecting so long they are now "hindrances" in my walk.

"Examine your life Angie. What is blocking your "energy flow". Are you full of My strength? You know from your past experience what happens when you try to conform to the world. In order to fit in you allow things to come between what I desire for you."

Well, you could have knocked me out of my rolling chair with a feather! In my past I know there have been many times that I wanted to be a part of the world that seemed to be fun---so much so, that my decisions were warped. Poor decisions made an impact in my life that was NOT pleasant. But I was thinking...surely not now. Why, surely I am right on track...But after thinking this over....I can find things that need to be removed from my heart and life to increase my energy flow.
I took a phone survey and even polled some random ladies with a simple question: What are some things that we allow to hinder our relationship with Christ:

TV (too much of it, and the type of programming---we are what we feed our minds);
Busyness and/or obsessive housework (as in the Martha Syndrome);
Excessive secular reading (neglecting the Bible);
Unforgiveness (self-explanatory);
Anger (self-explanatory);
Greed (desirous of worldly things); and
Envy (wanting what everyone else has). Another late entry of the survey came in after I came home from work. It seemed the opposite of one, but when she explained, I instantly saw how it could quickly become a hindrance. Having a clutter filled house and life.
The first one listed was mentioned by more than one person. It deserved top ranking. The next ones listed fell as suggested by those I polled. They all fall in the category of being a "belly-button ring". So-to-speak. A strength zapper. If not attended, I think it could even cripple.
I have embarked on an "examination" of my life. I am on the table. The Lord is probing my heart and life for the unnecessary. I don't have any piercings other than my ears, but there are MANY things that need to be dealt with in my life. Things that left unattended in my life will drain every ounce of spiritual strength I have. Whatever it is, I can say with certainty, it has lost it's attractiveness---due to the consequences it is causing in my life. Time to remove my belly-button ring hindrances.

Father in heaven, reveal to me--to each one of us--the hindrances in our lives. I need to know. I want to see it for what it is and deal with it once and for all. Forgive me for waiting so long. Some of the issues may have been here so long they are deeply embedded. Remove them from my life. Pour in the peroxide to boil out the wound. I ask with all sincerity of heart that the anointing of the Holy Spirit flow through my life as a river that I never before experienced! Help us to reach new heights in serving You. I am Yours. Wholly and completely. In the awesome name of Jesus I pray. Believing in You~Amen.
Your turn.

Are you as close as you can be to Jesus?
Think about what might be hindering your walk with Christ. Resolve to take control of it and remove it from your life.
Make a list of hindrances. Share them with others. Shine the spotlight on the issues so that they are exposed. Exposure can bring about closure.