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Red Bull at Bedtime 

My brother-in-law, Brandon, and I were on a trip. We got in late and made plans for the next day: We would hit the gym early and head to the conference I was speaking at after. I FaceTimed my family, and not too long after that, I drifted off to sleep.

My eyes shot open, burning and tired. Morning already. I was jittery and agitated, as I often am when I have an early wake-up call. I had overslept! I couldn’t believe I hadn’t heard the phone call. I tore off the covers, got dressed, cracked open a Red Bull, and gulped it down. Just then I noticed the alarm clock on the bedside table that said 3:04 a.m. Sheepishly I looked down at the now empty Red Bull in my hand and thought, What have I done? I laid back down in bed and thought of the two messages I would need to preach later that day. I really needed some sleep before that. I closed my eyes but could already feel the caffeine quickening my pulse. Needless to say, no amount of counting sheep would knock me out after that.

I wonder if this isn’t an appropriate and unfortunate picture of what so often sets us back in our attempts to live for God. I am sure you have the best of intentions. You want to do what is right. If you aren’t making forward progress, it is probably not for lack of trying. Maybe you already spend quiet time with God, attend a small-group Bible study, and serve at your church on a volunteer team.

Perhaps the problem isn’t what you aren’t doing, but what you are consuming. The problem we must face is that, what you allow in your soul could be what keeps you in a state of arrested development. Close the computer, cancel your cable, walk out of the movie, delete the contact from your phone, change schools, or quit your job if you have to. Do something drastic to your sin, or sin will do something drastic to you. What you feed on you’ll be full of.

Take some time to ask yourself - what are you consuming that you need to step away from?

Remember: Perhaps the problem isn’t what you aren’t doing, but what you are consuming.