Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Guest (Male): Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Don't you want life to be fresh and vital? Don't you want to live life as you should? Then lean in and listen to Joni's timeless wisdom.

Joni Eareckson Tada: That is exactly what Leslie wrote to me recently. She's a Christian and she wants her Christian life to count, to feel like it's worthwhile, that she's pleasing her Savior. But it's hard. This is what Leslie wrote me. She said:

Guest (Male): My day begins with a devotion, a time of listening to music, reading through the Bible, and a time of what is really just distracted, shallow prayer. Then I get dressed and God goes in a box. God gets tucked in my back pocket and he rarely crosses my mind until evening. The demands and distractions and appointments of the day take priority.

So Joni, here's the question: how do I get over that? I want my life to look differently. I want it to be more vital. I want my life to be alive in Christ. It's very possible that I'm not making choices of a mature believer. I love to lounge back and play apps, watch a movie, or FaceTime my friends. What does your day look like? Do you have any tips for me?

Joni Eareckson Tada: Those are great questions, and I can't say I've got all the answers. But Leslie, first, I'm glad you're being honest. I'm grateful that you want your life to look differently, to be more vital, as you put it, because right there shows your heart's desire. That is the most important part of change.

Every morning I get up and ask God to help me get actively engaged. Come on, Jesus, get me engaged in my own transformation to be like you. It's a fight, but as the Bible says, it's a good fight. It means saying no to lounging back, playing apps, hanging out on Facebook, or watching movies. It means saying yes to pursuing a friendship with God.

What does that mean? For me, it means developing spiritual disciplines like memorizing Scripture, committing a good portion of your day to serve others in need, and praying. It means reading Christian books that lift the soul and strengthen your faith. Most of all, it's a constant, throughout-the-day communion with the Spirit of Jesus.

It involves asking him to keep your eyes open to needs, asking for help to refrain from anger or selfishness, and asking God's help to convict me when my heart becomes dulled by mundane, trivial things. Honestly, Leslie, for instance, there's just some music, albeit good, that I simply cannot listen to. It dulls my spirit. I cannot binge-watch TV. Again, it dulls my spirit. I simply cannot allow grudges to persist or build up. Once more, it dulls my spirit.

These are all hard choices to make, and I make them constantly throughout the day. But it boils down to what you really prefer in life. Leslie, you asked about my day, and I pretty much just described it. I have to live this way because I do not want to get to heaven and look back on earth and think, "Man, why did I waste it all?" I don't want to get to heaven and see the minimal impact of my prayers and my giving and witnessing about Jesus and think, "Why didn't I pray more? Why didn't I give more or witness more?"

It is all a matter of preference. Listening friend, I would say the same to you. No one can serve two masters, the Bible says. So which do you desire more? If it's wanting more of Jesus, are you willing to fight the good fight throughout the day as you run the race? Will you prefer, will you choose the Lord throughout your day? I hope you will.

Guest (Male): If you need help doing it, friend, then we want to pray for you. Our staff meets every morning to lift up your prayer requests, so tell us your needs at joniradio.org. Again, that's joniradio.org, where we share hope through every hardship. God bless you today, friend, and thanks for listening.