I Am Disciplined
Well, I've added a last sentence to my “I Am” statements and every day down at the bottom of this little list, I read this. “In all of this, I am disciplined. I choose to do what I need to over what I feel like every time.”
Daily Reminder: Choosing Purpose over Feelings
It's important for me to read this every morning because it just reminds me exactly that to do what I need to do instead of what I feel like.
I often find myself at the mercy of what I feel like instead of what I should be doing. I feel like just lazing, instead of reading the Bible. I feel like just watching more TV instead of praying. I feel like eating bad food instead of sticking to what's good and honours God with my body. I feel like going the wrong direction instead of remembering that I'm Spirit-filled and sanctified.
It's very important for us to live disciplined lives doing what God has called us to instead of what our feelings dictate. In fact, this sentence really struck me. It was in a book I read last year called “The Disciplined Life” by Nazarene minister Richard Taylor, and he said this in one of the chapters: “The world is full of naturally brilliant people who never rise above mediocrity because they will not make the sacrifice which superiority requires.”
And I thought, I don't want to be the guy who wasn't disciplined, who had a lot to offer (as all these “I Am” statements have proven) but never took the time and the discipline to do it!
This is how Taylor described self-discipline: it's “the ability to regulate your conduct by principle and judgment rather than impulse desire, pressure or social custom. It is basically the ability to subordinate.”
I Am Statements: Guiding My Life by Principles
And this has become part of my daily statements. This is how I want to live. Living by my principles and judgments rather than my impulses and desires. And you know what? These “I Am” statements help me to do that. Because when I start to feel shame and condemnation, I can go back to my first statement “I am loved and forgiven” and discipline myself to live in it. Or when I start to be tempted to do things that aren't of God I go to my second “I Am” statement and say “I'm Spirit-filled and sanctified. I say no to ungodly things and live a godly life.” When I start to ignore God and go in my own way, I remember “I am a lover and worship of God. That is who I am. That is what I do.” And when I start to maybe get a bit too self-involved, I can remind myself “I'm a leader of my family”, “I'm a shepherd of God's people” and all that stuff we spoke of yesterday.
It's a discipline to live this way. But friends, I’ve found it helpful. And I pray that if you come up with your “I Am” statements, you will remember in all of it to be disciplined, to actually live by them rather than by your impulses.
Well, I hope this has been helpful. It's been quite personal, sharing some of my stuff this week. But friends, I do hope that it's given you an idea to maybe do it yourself and remember who you are in God. Day by day.
