Monday, August 22, 2011

Discipline = Self-Commitment

Anybody can be a mother, father, daughter, son, wife, husband, friend, employee, etc. but it takes a commitment to be a Christian wife, daughter, friend, employee, etc. It requires discipline. I have noticed that if we are not careful and if we don't establish positive routines, it can affect us in the long run. We don't realize it until its too late to go back and change.

I feel that because of my job, I am becoming more lazy and I'm losing energy even on the days when I'm  busy. I feel like a different person from when I started. When I started, I was confident and was motivated to learn new things. I wish I learned in college on how to be motivated when others are not. It's hard because I am in my office more than I am at home with my family and friends. It has already affected me at home. It's up to me to decide if I want to change that. Although, I have to say this, I am extremely grateful for my friends at work. If it wasn't for them, I would have to change jobs and that's hard to do in this economy. Sometimes it's a good idea to change jobs especially if you're in a very hostile environment and that can affect your mental and physical health from stress. I don't have that type of stress but I am not in an engaging environment where I feel like I can grow. So this is something I need to work on my part to change that feeling.

It's the same thing as being a Christian, we live in a world and in an environment where everyone has different beliefs and ideas on how to live on Earth. The hardest thing is to be yourself in this world. So I feel like I need to carefully pay attention to my environment before it slowly eats me away. Last weekend, a pastor at McLean Bible Church talked about the Potter and the Clay, since I was home, I watched it online with captions so I was able to save his quotes...

"We live in a culture of do it yourself religion. No longer do we live in a world 
where people adhere to a system of belief that they see as external to 
them. That they embrace. No, no, no. We live in a world of designer 
religion. Where people mix and match various systems of thought and 
beliefs, never mind the glaring incongruities that are involved in this 
process. And they develop a system of belief that entirely reflects 
them. 

Truth becomes what I make it. What I believe is that which doesn't 
inconvenience me or require anything of me. And now God is made in my 
image rather than the reverse. 

Have you ever heard anybody say: Well, you know, I believe in God, I 
just don't believe in organized religion? 
Translation: Living in a world that has trained me to be the center 
of my own life, I cannot tolerate a belief system that includes 
anything that requires something of me or inconveniences me. 
How about this one? 
I just can't believe that a loving God would -- fill in the blank.

Even Jesus said I did not come to do my will:but the will of him who 
sent me. How much more should those who claim Christ recognize that 
it's about him and his grace and His mercy

God is the potter. We are the clay. And we live in an environment 
that doesn't help us to believe and embrace that." Jim Supp

It's true, we don't live in an environment that embraces God's will for us. Who are we really? Do we only think of ourselves as a daughter or a wife or a friend? Do we see ourselves as God's child? A Christian? It should matter how we perceive ourselves. Once we have establish our identity as a Christian, then we should learn how to live in an environment that allows to be ourselves no matter what circumstances we are in. It takes commitment and discipline - God wants us to be " faithful for 30 years and conquer every attack of discouragement with God’s word." - John Piper 

I know he said "30" years but what he really meant was that you should be faithful to the Lord as soon you accept Jesus Christ in your life and conquer every attack of discouragement with God's word.  Easier said than Done!! That's why God doesn't allow us to see the future, he only wants us to focus on today and take one day at a time with our commitment. Basically, if I feel that my job is changing who I am, then I need to make sure nobody is changing me who I am as a Christian either.

I have been looking at my past blogs to see what I have been writing over the time. I have to admit, I am surprised at the stuff that I wrote. It feels like the holy spirit was with me helping me get my message across. Or, maybe help get God's message's across?


I felt that I was learning from my blogs again even though I wrote it! I think it's a good habit to read the blogs that we have wrote before we write a new one. Most of them was are about God and his love for us. How God has sent his son to save us and show forgiveness to others.  How we love God for who He is. There's a lot of stuff that I wrote and I have learned that because as humans we are not perfect, we are constantly renewing ourselves. It will continue to the day we die. I do feel like I have a lot to learn before I can have children and pass on life lessons to them. And children will also pass on life lessons to us and continue to transform us. 
So I have been reading Tom Newberry's blogs/articles 


And I am going to prepare myself to start doing daily EMSR

This will help me focus one day at a time. I also liked his suggestion of waking up early to be with God and learn about him and review what I have already learned before starting my day. That helps too.  First, I need to pray and mentally prepare myself to get up early and break that bad habit of mine!!! :)