Couple days ago at work, I had a student say to me, "Its much easier to add than subtract!" while he was referring to math, my mind went racing into various applications to life. It is not easy to subtract attitudes from the norm of society. It is easier to add new accepted attitudes instead.

I find it easier for me to add new practices to my life, but even when i know something is bad for me, its a struggle to subtract it. When God points out that I need to subtract worldly behaviors in my life, I try to rationalize my behavior. How can I expect Him to add to my life when I am not willing to make any room?

I know I know, sounds so trivial. When i say "23+7" its easy for the majority of us to spit out "30" but when i say "23-7" it takes us a second to think about it. But apply it to life in general.

One of these days, you will run out of room to add, then? Do you stop adding? growing? Do you hit a plateau and stay there? Mountains might be hard to climb but after you have conquered the climb, ask any climber about what the want to do and its never "i just want to stay here forever!" They want to climb down and do it all over again. They want to add new climbs, harder climbs to their accomplishments. That is how they become better climbers, by growing in their skill. By doing this they are also subtracting anything in their body/mind that will stand in their way.

As a human, Christian or not, we have a life span. Do we use it to sit around? Do we add new skills to our list? Ever heard of a bucket list? Its a list of things you want to accomplish before you "kick the bucket." Not to sound morbid, but I believe everyone should have one. I mean we cant escape death, right? Might as well make the best of our lives before death finds you. You might as well die doing what you loved on earth.

So GROW, ADD, INCREASE YOUR SKILLS, but DONT you dare FORGET TO SUBTRACT the negativity, the mundane, the extra weight holding you back from being the best you can be. It might mean that old habits need to be erased from your life, people need to be curbed for now, lifestyles need to change. It will be hard, I KNOW! But in the end, adding is so much easier when you know the worth of what you are adding.

Love God and the rest will follow!