I've come to realize in my life that there are two types of people- people who like rules and people who do not like rules. I guess there is a third group too- the group that likes some rules and doesn't like the other rules. Rules are what they are and they exist in many different areas of our lives. Sometimes they are called something different like laws or whatever, but they are every where.
So, two groups: rule likers and rule haters. Also, there are two types of rules. Those put on us by someone or something else, and the rules that we put on ourselves.
Up at our kids school for example- there is a clearly marked "no waiting" zone that people park in every single day (rules from someone else). They see the sign. They just don't care. They think the rules don't apply to them. And then there are the rules that we set up for ourselves. Such as, "I will do this" or "I wont do that". Typically these rules that we put on our self are a means by which to help us get to a goal, or keep us from calamity or whatever.
Its the second set of rules I often find myself breaking.
They are not cosmic prison inducing rules that I break like "Don't rob that bank" or "Don't start that subversive anti-government militia", its more like "don't eat sugar" and "read my Bible" and "exercise". I set those rules up all the time, and then I..... break them.
Usually I break them because I justify the decision in my mind to do or not do something.
Like last night. I've decided to not eat sugar or desserts this month. We were at McDonalds and I looked at the nutritional differences between the Yogurt parfait (21 gr sugar) and soft serve ice cream (18 gr sugar). In my mind, I justified that although the ice cream was a dessert, because it had less sugar than the yogurt, I should be okay with getting it.
Mental games like that are a slippery slope. Once you start justifying something in your mind, after you've set up some rules, you can justify yourself far away from your original goal.
It goes like this- one ice cream one day is fine. I had ice cream yesterday, so one cookie today doesn't matter. Two cookies isn't much different than one. Since I had two cookies yesterday a donut today doesn't matter. What? You have a dozen donuts you'd like to share? I'll take 3. Hey guys, lets go down to Krispy Kreme and get a hot dozen. Honey, I'm going to the store to get a bag of sugar, a two liter of Jolt and some easy cheese to snack on while I'm eating a pound of bacon in front of the TV.
You feel me? It all starts with one little justification of one rule that you thought would be okay.
So what do we do? We stick to the rules we set up for ourselves. At some point it was for a purpose, so when that time comes that you are enticed to go against your original plan, remind yourself of the original purpose of the rule and why you set it. Remember, it was YOU who set the rule, not someone else, and you did it for a reason, probably a good one.
God has given you the ability to be disciplined, so walk in. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you maintain control and stick to the plan. You'll be glad you did.
For the record, I got the parfait.
Be blessed.
pastor matt
Please quit hitting me up side the head with a 2x4! After all, Jack In The Box may not survive without me, so I must go there!
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