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The Safety Zone
We can live safely or dangerously, but if we want to live safely, or in what I like to call the Safety Zone, then discipline and self-control are required. For example, if I want to be safe from the burden of debt, I must discipline myself regularly not to spend more money than I have. The ease in obtaining credit cards today allows people to overspend by permitting them to
spend tomorrow’s income today. If we do that, however, when tomorrow comes we have already spent our money and we
have to keep borrowing. It is an endless cycle unless we learn to never buy something we cannot pay for with comfort. If you want to use credit cards for convenience, that is fine, but pay them off at the end of each month. If you are not able to do that right now, then make it your goal and start working toward
it.
Some people are so accustomed to living on borrowed money that even the thought of what I am saying sounds like an impossibility, but I can assure you that it is not only possible, it is the only safe way to live. You may already be deep in
debt, but don’t think that it is too late for you to do anything about it. Today’s discipline will help you overcome past
mistakes if you keep at it long enough.
Are you living an unsustainable life? Some of you may even say from time to time, “I can’t keep this up forever,”
when it comes to the stress level in your life, the debt that keeps mounting higher and higher, the weight you may be
gaining, or any other area that has become habitually out of control.
If you know that you cannot keep up the behavior, then why put off stopping it? It won’t be any easier if you wait longer, and it could possibly be more difficult.
Just this morning the Holy Spirit convicted me of an area in my life that needs more discipline. I have learned over the
years that when God brings conviction He also gives grace to conquer. Timing is important! It is important that we act in His timing, not in ours. Putting something off until a more convenient time usually means that we either never do it or we
do it with great struggle. I started today praying about the area I was convicted in and studying the best way to make changes.
“Act right away, don’t delay!”
