1
Peter 1:13
‘So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the
special blessings that will come to you at the return of Jesus Christ.’
WE find so
many guidelines to everyday living in the Bible and can be in danger of passing them with little consideration. Clear thinking and self-control are two
key requirements if we wish to make the most of our lives. However great your
dreams, they stand little chance of coming to fruition if you lack the ability
to think clearly and organise yourself. Clear thinking helps you to capitalise
on opportunities, advice and to make good decisions; sometimes in tricky
situations. When we live in an ordered environment and have well-crafted
routines we are in the best position to excel. Routines keep the mind clear and
we do not have to waste time making un-necessary decisions about aspects of our
daily lives. We can go through a large part of the day on auto-pilot, saving
our ‘thinking mind’ for the occasions when we really need to apply it. If your
mind is constantly making simple decisions it is cluttered with useless information
and this can have a tiring affect. Take your morning routine, if you set the
alarm and do things in the same order you can arrive at work on time regularly.
If you are running around unsure and looking for things, you may well leave
late and start the day off poorly. The start of the day is often reflected
throughout the day.
Obviously we must always be prepared to be
flexible but overall it is good for our lives to run smoothly so that we have
the energy and increased ability to think clearly about important decisions. If
things are not important you can practice making quick decisions and sticking
with them- for really unimportant things we can have fun tossing a coin! It is
easy to waste valuable time in life procrastinating or attaching importance to
the wrong things. Example: for daily Bible readings Bible Gateway offers a
choice of topics to study. If you have a particular need then definitely look
for the right study course. If you don’t, just choose something to read that
looks interesting and stick to it. The plans are always available so you can
spend the browsing time reading and quickly move on. Do allow time for decision making where it gives you added mental
value, for instance, choosing interior decorations is often a pleasant and
fulfilling experience.
Self-discipline
helps us to address important issues and maintain those valuable routines! Reliable/
successful people generally have mastered self-discipline and are good at
fitting 101 things into their day. The better disciplined you are the easier it
is to tackle both hard and complex tasks. Once again, discipline helps us to
function well providing more time to spend on enjoyable projects. If you do not
practice self-discipline and avoid the difficult tasks they may well play on
your mind and deprive you of the satisfaction of a job well-done.
If self- discipline is not your strength,
start by completing small tasks, even if it’s simply getting up when the alarm
goes off and not snoozing or tackling the hard jobs first to the best of your
ability. This means that you apply clear thinking while your mind is fresh and be
far better prepared overall.
The reference
to special blessings is interesting. We will receive more blessings throughout
life when we are clear-thinking and well-disciplined because that in itself creates
good results and inspires more opportunities; these are ‘characteristic investments’
and will yield results. The verse also tells us that we will ultimately receive
special blessings, the nature of which are not revealed here but will refer to a
spiritual aspect, presumably the glories of the afterlife.
This is
definitely a great verse to inspire us for the new week, and helps to create or
keep us on target!
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