Obsession ... about the right thing

There are three questions I need to ask myself when determining if something or someone is an obsession for me. A yes answer for me means I need to take action. 

• Does this distract me from my normal pattern of living?

• Does any part of being involved with this disrupt any part of my life?

• Do I feel I need to depend on this to determine happiness in my life?

Useful questions

Simplistic? Many solutions seem so – to those who are not applying them to their own lives. 

But for me answering those three questions brings memories bubbling up of my plunge into alcoholism. That all too familiar path is one I need to avoid. So answering those questions as honestly as I can is a mandate in my life.

A worthwhile obsession

As careful as I need to be in quick identification of possible obsessions in my life, there is a far more important goal. In Philippians 3:14 I read, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” 

That goal, of course, is heaven.  But that has already been won for me. Jesus’ perfect life and death opened heaven. And through the faith that comes to me through the Holy Spirit, heaven is mine.

Running the race

But I still need to run the race while I am alive; a race in which I am compelled to show my Savior how thankful I am for all he did for me. I need to run that race in such a way that potential obsessions are arrested before they spring to life. I need to run that race as such a clear a response for my Savior's love that others cannot help but notice.

On my own, I cannot fulfill the mandate of answering those three questions above with complete honesty.  Neither can I run that race Paul described. That strength comes through Jesus who gave his life and now powers my race to serve him.

Source: Changing4Him blog