Slave

I grew up reading about some of the hardest times in the history of these United States. The stories of slavery were very disturbing and painful to read and study about. I can only imagine how hard things were during those days. I have read some about President Lincoln and the way he governed through those hard days of the Civil War. It was obvious that he wanted our great country to value every person equally. He wanted us to treat one another with mutual respect and honor. It was an era that people were steeped in the traditions of their forefathers and they wanted to keep things the way they were.

I’ve been studying what a slave looks like in other applications. I think it was 2009 when I was struggling financially to make it through the recession. I took the Financial Peace class with Dave Ramsey. I realized that I was a slave. I was a slave to my wants and wishes. I was a slave to some banks and credit cards. I was a slave to a lifestyle. I’m also learning that this slavery doesn’t have to continue.  My family made some decisions to live differently. We dumped our debt and started to live differently. Dave Ramsey coined the phrase: “Live like no one else so that I can live and give like no one else.” I don’t want to be a slave to anyone or anything. I am still fighting it though.

Peter is challenging the Christ followers to be careful of false teachers and corrupt leadership. They love to control and manipulate others. He even says that these false teachers are slaves to their own sin and evil desires. It is way too easy for this to happen to just about anyone. Check this out…

¹⁹ They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you. (2 Peter 2:19 NLT)

I am still fighting slavery to bad food that tastes good but is harmful to me. One of the best exercises I can do is “push away”.  I need to do push-ups too, but I need to “push away” the plate when I’ve eaten enough!  Self-discipline is really defined as delayed gratification. I am putting off gratification today so that I might be better off tomorrow or later down the road.

I need self-discipline in every area of my life.

I need self-discipline in the “rest/run” cycle.

I need self-discipline in relationships.

I need self- discipline in eating and exercise.

I need self-discipline in my work life.

I need self-discipline in my spiritual journey.

I want to be driven and controlled by the Holy Spirit in every area of my life. He can help me with self-discipline. I want to surround myself with others who are delaying gratification today so that they can really change things in their future.

I’m not going to keep being a slave to other things or other people. I am ending slavery in my life.

Pressing On!

Dwayne