Killing the Spider

Several years ago I was at church camp with some teens and heard a preacher preach a message called Kill the Spider. It was a great message. I want to use that message I am recalling from memory to apply it to daily life. 

The premise is that when you find a spider web in your home, you don't just wipe away the web for the best results...you kill the spider. Otherwise the web will be right back later. How true this is! The preacher back then focused on reminding the teens that they must kill the spiders and not just wipe away the webs in their music choices. You can't just get rid of music that isn't glorifying to God or to you but you must replace it with good music. If you don't replace the music you will just go back to the bad stuff. 

Now that I'm older and hopefully a bit wiser, I can see this philosophy in many areas of life. I am taking steps to become healthier. I need to get rid of the spiders in my body. I can't just say I will eat healthier today and exercise today. I must kill that spider of unhealthy foods and couch potato laziness and replace it with better food choices and movement! I must also make healthier choices in what chemicals and harmful things come in contact with my body. Soon I will be wiping away the webs of 
toxins that have built up in my liver, intestines and bloodstream. (I will be posting about that in the future) However, if I do not kill the spider of what allowed the toxins to build up in my body I will only have wiped away the web and it will return. 

I need to kill the spider of  apathy in my ministry. I must bring my thought life under control and replace negative, complaining thoughts with thoughts of gratitude for a place and people to serve and a reminder of a burden to help others in their spiritual walk.

Some people may need to kill the spider of routine. Yes,routine gives comfort but can become monotonous and lead to more webs of mundane living and often depression. Shake things up! Start doing something different each week so you can kill that spider. Don't just flop down in front of the TV after supper...play a game, go for a drive, go for a walk (adding in that exercise!), read a book, etc. Do something different at least once in the week. 

I think I have typed enough in this post for you to get the point. Don't just wipe away the webs...kill the spiders!