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I am working through a series of messages on Addictions and finding hope in the Gospel. This involves reading to try to understand a little of the struggle with addictions. Yet so much of it relates closely to everyone’s struggles in life.

The material I’ve read emphasizes that the battle to overcome requires a daily commitment. It’s not like you decide one day to stop your addiction and then your free. You must fight in the battle daily. It is like making an initial commitment and then renewing that commitment every day. The initial commitment is a significant and memorable step. Yet the hard work of the daily battle follows.

It is like marriage. We love going to weddings and affirming a couple in their wedding vows. But after the wedding, the couple faces that daily decision to renew their commitment to their vows. Some days it’s great and they don’t even thinking about it. Other days it’s harder. In those harder days, a daily recommitment to one’s vows helps.

This also applies to our walk with God. We may point back to our conversion or baptism day as significant spiritual markers. And they are! But it helps to renew our commitment daily to walk with God. Thankfully, He helps us in this if we ask.

Consider Psalm 119:36-37 – “Incline my heart to your testimonies and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes away from worthless things and give me life in your ways.” This Psalmist asks for help from God to walk with God. He asks God to lean or turn his heart towards God’s testimonies and away from selfish gain. He seems to believe that if he does not engage in battle, his heart will naturally turn towards selfish gain. Some people spend their whole lives in such a pursuit only to lose it all upon their death.

The Psalmist also asks the Lord to “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” Talk about a relevant prayer for today. There are so many worthless things that can catch our eye and consume our time. We get mesmerized by them and suddenly it’s midnight or we didn’t get any work done or we’re unprepared for the exam.

But the Psalmist prays “Turn my eyes away from worthless things and give me life in your ways.” Instead of worthless eye catchers, we can experience real life in God’s ways. God is willing to help us with that. . . . if we ask for it as we renew our commitment each day.

“Lord, you place a high calling on our lives because you want us to experience the heights of life. It’s too much to try on our own strength. Yet you are willing to help, empower and change us. Help us take up the fight again today to walk with you!”