Popcorn, Braces & Alignment

Hebrews 12:11 NLT - No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Alignment: to get or fall into line. The proper positioning or state of adjustment of parts in relation to each other. (Merriam-Webster, 2023)

Consecration. Whew. Braces. Whew.

For the last month, my church has been on a consecration & fast. For 30 days we fasted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, there was no social media, no entertainment TV, and no casual shopping. We also read a book together as a church and had daily Zoom services 3 times a day, which I loved.

I know somebody just fainted reading that. At first, it felt like it was gonna be on the unbearable side. The TV part I could do without, but no social media or casual shopping? I was convinced this would be an ordeal, but something in me knew I needed it.

And then on top of all of this lovely discipline stuff, I got braces right at the end of consecration. Who does that?!

AND SPEAKING OF BRACES:

I’m participating in a popcorn fundraiser for my church, and since I can’t eat popcorn anymore, I would LOVE it if you bought some to help us raise money for our building fund. Thank you!

https://popup.doublegood.com/s/9g8z6n2n

For a while I’ve been procrastinating and slacking on my gifts, I knew I needed to realign myself and get back to my purpose, I just didn’t know how I was going to accomplish that. I knew I needed to cut certain things out, but what? A few days before consecration started I decided to cut out sugar (mostly candy) because I knew I was getting my braces in a month’s time. I decided to just deep clean and get rid of everything I knew was getting in the way. And you know what I discovered? There’s a whole lot you can accomplish when you’re not scrolling on your phone all day.

Something that I’ve been experiencing since getting my braces has been the discomfort in my mouth as my teeth begin to align together. It’s not an impossible pain, but it has proven to be quite the adjustment. The way I talk, what I can eat, and even how I brush my teeth have changed since getting braces. Not only do I look different, but I have to be a lot more mindful of what I do and bite into.

Hebrews 12:11 definitely sums up my braces and consecration experience. Consecration took a lot of focus, sacrifice, and discipline, but I am so much better for it and have been changed by it. Did I love having to wait until 6 p.m. to eat every night? No, not really but turning down my plate helped me to hear God in a new way and I’m not struggling with some of the issues I had before consecration. Do I love that I can’t eat everything anymore? No, but I know that on the other side of this braces thing is alignment.

Alignment, while it may not be everybody’s favourite thing, is absolutely necessary. You cannot win on a team you’re not in line or aligned with. They will kick you out and fire you without pay. Alignment often brings discomfort, but that’s a temporary side effect of adjustment. Everything takes a while to get adjusted. Don’t run from it, you need it. Try not to focus solely on the uncomfortable parts, there’s a blessing in alignment. Being part of the body of Christ requires alignment. Every part does its part. And when somebody is out of line, it compromises everybody else.

Long story short, align yourself with God. I know it’s not the most fun thing to say or advise, but we lose out when we do things our own way. Read Hebrews 12:11 again, there’s a peaceful harvest when we’re aligned. We reap all the benefits and blessings when we align ourselves with God.

So, stay in line, order and eat some popcorn on my behalf, and I’ll see you next time!