It’s sort of like that sandcastle my siblings and I tried so very hard to build on the edges of the ocean. Again and again, we would start right next to the water’s edge, only to have it destroyed as the tide moved closer and closer. It didn’t matter how deep we would build that imperfect moat or how high we would build those uneven walls— eventually, the water would over-take it and leave behind heaps and sandy ruins.
The thing we loved most—the reason we were “
I admit I got mad; I cried a little at the injustice of it all. And then I wised up to the fact that getting mad and crying never gets you anywhere, and I kneeled down and asked my Heavenly Father for strength. And He is good; He provided the grace and strength.
Self-discipline isn’t really like most people in the world try to make it out to be—something that you can bring forth entirely on your own strength.
It takes a concerted effort on your behalf and a huge amount of trust and faith in the Father, because without Him, you’ll never make it.
sitting right by the water’s edge—was what hurt us the most. If we had thought to sacrifice comfort in the here and now, we would have had a sandcastle that lasted.
If we had started to build self-discipline in our lives in the beginning, we would have started far from the shoreline. But instead, by choosing the easier route of building right by the water where the sand was perfect for construction, we were doomed for failure.
“Like a city breached, without walls, is a person who lacks self-control.” (Proverbs 25:28)
Giving up gluten was easy at first; with the taste of regular breads and pastas still in my mouth and the memory of the headaches vibrant, I didn’t miss it. But as the days slipped into months, I forgot what it was like to have a migraine for days, and taste of gluten-free foods just wasn’t the same as what everyone else was eating.
It may seem silly or immature to some, but (keeping it real here!) there were times when the struggle would be so hard for me, sitting around a table with family and seeing them eat things that I wanted so badly but was not able to eat.
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It’s something that takes a concerted effort on your behalf and a huge amount of trust and faith in the Father, because without Him, you’ll never make it.
Being able to give up gluten is something that I still sometimes struggle with, and it will probably still be a while before I’ll finally be truly okay with it. In the meantime, I continue to ask the Father for strength and thank Him for making me the way He did. Instead of being upset about the foods I can’t have, I’ll focus on the things I can. Day by day, I’ll continue relying on Him and disciplining myself.
And maybe—just maybe—one day I’ll be able to have that artisan bread made with white flour and slather it in butter. But for now, I’m choosing to believe that my Father knows best and build my castle far from the shore.
“‘For I know what plans I have in mind for you,’ says ADONAI, ‘plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future. When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly…” (Jeremiah 29:11-13) •
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