Tug of War... with ourselves?

A friend of mine recently broke up, or rather got dumped by his fiance less than a month before the wedding. I really dont want to concentrate on why she broke it off with him, and rightly so, I just dont believe that they mesh well. But, his actions before and after the break up are something of an analogy for everything we do. He drinks, not all the time but when he does, he does in excess. During one of our "why doesnt she want me" talks, I reminded him that everything he did would either get him closer to one result or another. Back together or moving on, giving her the space she requested would make him sihine in her a eyes a positive light, bugging her not so much. Talking to other girls, flirting, dates, sex would be fun but it wouldnt exactly help him repair things with each other. I hope you can see where I am going with this, because he didnt, and stil doesnt. At the time of writing this it looks like they are each doing things as they did before but for being the glimmer of truth that I am, I am being marked as the single guy who just wants everyone else to be single. Not true, however, I am reminding them thateverything we do, good or bad, brings us closer or further away from our goals.
Really wish I remembered that a few nights ago at Golden Corral! I attacked that buffet with what can only be seen as domination. With regards to both healthy food (plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish) and not so much (carrot cake, ice cream, and my glorious double digit steak.) It was really good and a nice change of pace from Mcdonalds. My kids didnt get to play but it was nice to have a family meal and just sit at the table without them polishing off thier food as fast as they could so they could do to the PlayPlace, what I did to that buffet! I have also been working longer days at a new job, which I am very thankful for. However its retail in November. So my exercising and all around nutrition is not what it should be. Yet another reminder that everything either brings us closer or further from where we want to be!

Paul told the same thing to the Galatians. Kind of the whole serving two masters thing. You cant pound out at the gym to be able to eat more. It just doesnt work that way! Thats why fad diets and exercise programs which refer to just one of the sources (diet and exercise) do not work. It has to be a matter of incorporating both together. ike Paul was telling the Galatians, our faith and works must coincide, not battle each other. If we push and pull in opposite directions we wont go anywhere, which is to simply go the opposite of where we want to be. Both efforts are compromised, unfortunately. Luther, in his commentary on Galatians, called this very act idolatry. How about that for calling your efforts (worship) counterproductive?

Today's point is simply to examine our actions and before continuing in our current paths, asking ourselves, "is this bringing me closer or further away, from the life I wish to lead?"