My husband and I recently started using a fitness app on our phones, as we want to lose a bit of weight. It is quite time-consuming making a note of all the things that we eat but, it is a great way to keep a check on the amount of calories that I’m consuming – and it has definitely stopped me from grabbing a snack each time I go to refill my hot water mug or eating a slice of cheese while I’m cooking or preparing the children’s packed lunches.

However the slightly frustrating part is that my husband seems to be losing weight more quickly than I am, and he can already feel and see a slight difference in his body. I have heard that women take longer to shed the pounds, so I keep saying that to myself – but I’m still annoyed.

Then this morning happened. God started gently talking to me about this attitude – and revealed that it runs throughout my life (ouch).

I heard him whisper to my heart: ‘You want the quick fix. You don’t like the long haul.’

I had been looking for a little bit of encouragement, to help me keep going (as I’ve been feeling hungry constantly, whereas my husband has always been someone who can take or leave food).

So I wasn’t too chuffed to hear what God was saying…but then I took time to reflect on it and realised He was right.

For example, I’ve been reading Jen Wilkin’s great book Women of the Word, which challenges the way we approach the Bible. I said a hearty ‘Amen’ when I read her comments on how too often we can go to the Bible to find out more about ourselves, or to look for answers or direction, when actually the point of reading the Bible is to find out more about God.

Then Jen began talking about all the different ways we can choose to read the Bible – such as thematically, delving into it randomly like we’ve been ‘led’ to a particular passage. And I realised that I can have a tendency to do that. 

She then moved on to talk about a systematic approach to digging deeper into the Word. I began to get excited but then, as I read on, I realised that it was going to be a lot of hard work! I even thought to myself: ‘why would I do this all myself when so many others have done it before me?’ I hate to admit that, but it’s true!

Jen herself recognises the great insights found in commentaries and in the introduction to books in study Bibles and yet there is a treasure to be found when we research and read for ourselves, beforewe read what they say.

Even when I’m writing Bible study notes I want to get to the heart of what the message is quickly – and yet I feel a quickening that God is perhaps challenging me to slow down and do even more hard workto allow Him to reveal deeper secrets to me from His Word.

And I think the truth is we can have the ‘quick fix’ approach to all areas of our lives. Part of it is probably down to our consumer-led culture, but a lot of it is our sinful, selfish nature. 

As God speaks to me more personally about this, I’m finding I’m recognising and repenting of attitudes that I never recognised as lazy or self-entitled before.

What about you? Are there areas in your life that you are beginning to realise you look for the ‘quick fixes’ in?