Day 6 of 21-Day Sugar Fast
Don’t be afraid of discipline. In fact, I challenge you: Dare to be disciplined. Where is God calling you to be disciplined in your life?
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
My great nephew, Lucas, turned one year old on November 5. However, I couldn’t attend his first birthday party Saturday because they live in a different state about 300 miles away. So, I scheduled to donate blood in honor of Lucas as my gift to him.
Why would donating blood be a good gift for a one-year old? Well, Lucas was born with Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA), which is a rare inherited bone marrow failure syndrome. It’s characterized by a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
Essentially, Lucas can’t make his own red blood cells and those he does, die too soon. So, he needs blood transfusions to live. In fact, he’s received blood transfusions since he was born.
Follow. Trust. Obey.
Now, I knew donating blood while on a sugar fast probably would not be recommended because most people experience low-blood sugar levels during a sugar fast. Please hear me on this. I’m not suggesting to donate blood while on a sugar fast to anyone.
But God Himself has been instructing me to dare to be disciplined, and pray for healing for others. Sometimes these two instructions intersect. When they do, we fast and pray about it.
As God leads the way forward, we follow. We trust Him. We do our part, and we put our trust in the One who calls us to obey Him. “Follow Me. Be Brave. It’s time to dare to be disciplined.”
This is what I did.
To be honest, I was concerned how I’d feel donating blood while on a sugar fast. I wondered how I would replenish afterwards because the protocol is to immediately eat sugar. So, like everything else, I brought this concern to the Lord. He provided the answer: eat a banana before and after.
Life. Blood. Breath.
Giving life to others sometimes means actually giving life to them. Did you know that red blood cells carry oxygen all through our body? And without oxygen we can’t live.
God gives life. He gives blood. He gives breath. Seems only right to share these gifts with others.
I believed Jesus would keep my blood sugar balanced and strong. His Word says that God Himself restores us and makes us strong, firm, and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). I asked God Himself to restore Lucas health and make him strong, firm, and steadfast as my blood flew out of me.
Now Lucas himself did not receive my blood. Someone else will. Therefore, I prayed for whoever received my blood that God would heal that person or persons too and make them strong, firm, and steadfast.
You know, I experienced peace as I walked into the blood donation center, and as I walked out God filled me with energy, joy, and even more peace. I even did a little shopping afterward and later walked 4 miles outside where Jesus and I talked a lot.
Delight in Discipline
I have donated blood on and off for nearly 40 years. Curious how many times I’ve donated, I looked at my totals: 30 times. That’s not as many as I hoped it would be in four decades, but I realized in looking at that number that I’ve been disciplined donating blood 30 times in 40 years.
God’s Word is true. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
Donating blood is not the most pleasant experience, and sometimes it can be painful. But look at how many people God has helped over the years because I’ve been disciplined to do my part and donate blood.
Delight in discipline? Yes, I think we can. Because God produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who train by it.
Dare to Be Disciplined
Dare to be consistent with those things God is asking you personally to be disciplined in. We may have setbacks from time to time. I know have throughout the years.
There were times I could not donate blood even though I wanted to because I didn’t weigh enough, my iron was too low, I was pregnant, or I just had a baby. Sometimes I was sick and not well enough to donate.
But we can get back up and start again. We train at that which the Lord calls to be disciplined in. Donating blood is just one thing I’ve dared to be disciplined.
Other areas I’m daring to be disciplined include:
- 21-Day Sugar Fast
- Writing
- Sleeping
- Exercising
- Eating good nutrition
- Praying for healing
We may experience pain in those things we are choosing to be disciplined, but we will reap later on. Others will too. Because God doesn’t waste the harvest discipline produces.
What things is God calling you to dare to be disciplined?
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