SELF DISCIPLINE

I open the deep freezer on this very hot, scorching day. It is filled with treasures from heaven, which basically is what I call soft drinks. The bottle sits exquisitely still at the bottom of the vast bottom of the freezer. The svelte construction has me saying a prayer of thanksgiving for the makers of COCA COLA. My eyes are filled with adoration for the bottle languishing between 35-38 degrees (the ideal temperature for a chilled drink, well, according to wiki answers).

Yet, just beside it, sitting still like the quiet brilliant student in class (who knows his classmates would never know just how brilliant he is because he never talks), is the equally chilled plastic of EVA Water.

I think I know how the story ends.

Ain't it amazing the things we still do despite knowing it hurts us? You know what needs to be done. You do the opposite. Why? The "want" to gratify greatly outweighs the "need" to delay gratification.

Don't worry. I know it is hard. Ahhhhh!!!!!!!!! trust me, I know. Yet, I know just how much more possible it is.

You know something interesting I learnt this past Sunday, it is that the Devil would tempt mankind in 3 aspects: FOOD, MONEY, POWER. FOOD seems to be one of the unsung heroes of the mix. Yet, you would be baffled to see just how much even the church is being buffeted on all sides. PASTOR TOPE AWONAIKE, the Head Pastor of Greater Grace Assembly once quoted someone. According to the quote, "IF YOU WANT TO CHOOSE LEADERS IN CHURCH, DECLARE A BUFFET." You know how profound that is? It means, basically, that we lose all sense of charity when food is involved. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE WITNESSED THIS IN MANY OUTINGS.

Our Lord Jesus decided not to turn stone to bread. Imagine if the Saviour of the world had given in to food because he was hungry. He had every right. He was on a 40-day fast!!!!!! He even thought about giving up on the whole salvation plan. But He recognised a greater WILL in play. When will we do the same?

For some of us, the closest we've ever got to that WORKOUT day-dream we have is the dream of working out. We don't eat right. We sometimes lack any skill, no matter how slight, to show restraint, to reel in our desires for the sake of what we need. Yet, there is that GRACE TO MOVE OUT AND CHALLENGE YOURSELF..

Your dream of a 1-hour prayer ended in THE GRACE OF OUR LORD, JESUS CHRIST.

Your dream of STAYING OFF COKE FOR A WEEK ENDED WITH YOU DRINKING PEPSI FOR A WEEK (Like seriously?)

Your dream of writing stopped on your BLACKBERRY/ANDROID device.

Your dream of eating healthy stopped at Debonairs Pizza.

Your dream of saving stopped on KONGA/JUMIA/KAYMU.

Why don't we take advantage of this grace and forge ahead? Why don't we delay gratification?

God help us

#TheNehemiahMovement #JoinTheMovement