Discipline
Just yesterday I said to a friend, "Discipline yourself or be disciplined." His appetites got more expensive than his budget could allow. As I listened to his complaints about finance charges and insurance fees, I could hear the bemoaning cries of a little child, immature and self-centered. Now he is selling his lavish car and canceling his insurance with "that devil" of an insurance company.
His response to me was this, "You’re right. What I need is five acres of land."
I was more than a little taken back by his response. I was "right" but he went from one desire to the next. What did he learn from his experience if he didn’t see that his own appetites were the cause of his problem?
The bible speaks about fasting, but did you realize you could fast from nearly anything? Yes, fasting is spoken of food, but the purposes aren’t to loose weight and cleanse the body. It’s about disciplining your body and soul, bringing them into subjection of your spirit.
You don’t have to watch television every night.
You don’t have to get on your computer or WEBTV every night.
You don’t have to go to the corner bar every night.
The list is long of those things we let influence our lives proportionately. It’s when their proportions become controlling influence that our problems begin. Relationships suffer because you don’t have time to maintain them.
As I wrote that sentence the word co-dependant came to mind. Just as an afterthought, I better add unhealthy relationships to that list of things that can dominate your life.
We all have to make choices in this life but no one should have to suffer because of them. You shouldn’t have to suffer, as my friend agonizes over yet today, and those that are part of your life shouldn’t have to suffer because they don’t get enough of your time.
Philippians 4
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.