I knew the computer was full...mostly with pictures. Trying to move the pictures over to an external drive helped, but even then, the problem persisted. I tried all kinds of things making sure to save the pictures at least in one spot. Albums to Facebook, Shutterfly, Carbonite and the other external thing just kept part of them saved, but I could never get all of them moved for some reason. The computer was slow and slower, then finally, basically couldn't work at all. The little spinning ball kept spinning and spinning and spinning. I was desperate because writing out my ladies' Bible class lessons is hard to do without a computer.
My husband had said back in the spring that I could get a new one, but that seemed wasteful at the time, thinking I could surely make the other one work better eventually. Well, after eight months, I decided I needed to just get one. The before "Black Friday" sales helped save some money and the new computer was ordered. It was so nice to be able to go to wherever I needed to go and for the pages app to load immediately. The last time I had tried to print out something on pages on the old computer, it took a day and a half!!! It was crazy!!
So, all was going along well until last week. The NEW computer was acting slow. I knew that our internet could just be slow at times, especially during peak times of usage in our rural area, but this was different. I finally just decided to call about it. The service representative had me run a diagnostic test and then had me repeat it immediately afterwards. On the repeat, the time of the test was so quick, it was amazing! I asked what she did so quickly that made such a difference. She said, "Oh, I just renewed your connection." Wow!! How did something that took only a few seconds make such a huge difference? Because the other connection was weak.
In our spiritual lives it's possible that we have a weak connection. It's possible we need to renew our connection to God, to Jesus, and to the church. The old saying goes, "If you feel far from God, guess who moved?". God doesn't move. Jesus doesn't move. It's WE who move. It's ME. It's YOU. You and I have the ability to grow closer to Him and grow in our faith or we move away from Him and our faith grows weak. Now, it may not be as quick of a fix as my internet connection - it may take some time - but oftentimes it's just a simple thing that will help. Pray more. Study the Word more. Worship more. Assemble with the saints more. Think of others more. Simple things, yet often tough to do at times of weak connection.
Probably all of us have weak connections in our lives at one time or another. If not spiritually, maybe it's with our relationships or our commitment to our families or our work ethic. We have to reconnect....renew the connection....work at it and make it stronger. But as a Christian, nothing we do has to be done alone. God is there with us. Jesus is with us. The Holy Spirit lives within us to help us in our weakness. HE is the renewing factor of the poor connection!
Maybe I've written about this before. It seems like it. But maybe that's because it's what I usually need myself so often, that it is just where my mind tends to go. I'm not sure I could think about it too often because when I'm thinking about it, it means I'm working on it. Maybe you are, too.
Renewing your connection begins right now!
“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John 14:15-17
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. Romans 8:5
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Romans 8:14
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27
Love it.
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