Galatians 5:17
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
Kenya is known for producing some of the most amazing marathon runners. When we see them receiving accolades from across the globe and walking away with a tidy sum in prize money, someone may think, “how lucky they are.” This has nothing to do with luck, rather it has to do with disciplined actions. While we sleep enjoying the warmth of our beds, these athletes are running and training, beating their bodies in submission.
I once heard someone say that if you did all the things your flesh desired, you would probably be dead in one year. Your body does not know what is right for it, you and I have to train it to do the right thing. Remember, its desires are always contrary to the desires of the spirit and if left alone to gratify its desires, it will lead you away from God.
It’s astonishing how many people want the results of a disciplined life but, they are not willing to put in the hours of discipline, especially today where we have many instant things. We want to pray about many things, and that is good, but we do not follow that up with action. Faith without works is dead!
In the same manner, we wish to be great men and women for God, but we would rather not engage in spiritual disciplines. Prayer, fasting, reading the word, meditating and memorizing the word and other spiritual disciplines take a back seat, yet, we wish to do great things for God.
Joshua 1:8 (AMP)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read [and meditate on] it day and night, so that you may be careful to do [everything] in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be [a]successful.
It was the discipline of action based on the word that Joshua would be guaranteed of success and prosperity, the same applies to us today. It is in the discipline of doing that potential is unlocked. We are sometimes praying and wait on God for things he released long time ago, but they will only become a reality once we discipline ourselves to do certain things consistently. As a pastor friend once put it, what we call luck is the junction where discipline collides with opportunity. Because of a lack of discipline, some of us don’t recognize the many opportunities that God brings our way.
Reflections
Procrastination never got anything done, what is that one thing that you have been procrastinating about?
Describe how your life could have been had you been able to discipline yourself to do the very thing you have been procrastinating about.
What then are you going to do to change this situation? Write down your action plan and get an accountability partner to ensure you do it.
