prescription for spiritual constipation

so the other night at youth group, we were talking about one of my favorite passages of Scripture - Hebrews 10:19-25 (lol - i actually have soooooo many favorites, it's funny for me to use that phrase as a description), and once again we were making the wordplay joke about "let us" and "lettuce."

well, this morning as i was meditating on that passage again, i thought... "hmmmm - the analogy of roughage and it's benefits to our digestive system can really work here." so i started thinking about constipation, and what we're like when we are experiencing it... uncomfortable, bloated, pained, irritable, frustrated, worried that something's wrong with us... just feeling "not quite right," because our systems aren't functioning properly...

so what did i do? yeah, i came in here and started searching the internet for symptoms of constipation! how did people ever work through their analogies properly before the internet?!?

of course, we all know that one of the first prescriptions that we get for "keeping ourselves regular" is MORE FIBER... so, here's a little Scriptural fiber prescription:

"therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

LET US draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

LET US hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

and LET US consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

so what do we do when we have a sense that spiritually things are "just not quite right?"
1. DRAW NEAR TO GOD - the way is opened for us by Jesus' blood!
2. HOLD FAST TO HOPE - God is faithful and He is working!
3. GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS - our salvation has brought us into a community of believers, we are not meant to be isolated, but to spur and encourage one another in the faith!

... lol - and thus continues my theory that EVERYTHING in creation, God has made with a view toward us realizing His truth... digestive track - check.