Daily Power #162

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. (Rom. 14:12)

If you are going to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, you will have to be deliberate about protecting your heart, mind, and soul. That’s why to follow Jesus in this selfie-centered, lust-filled world, you’d be wise to set up some boundaries to keep you safe. Before temptation can reach you, find ways to push it farther away.

I’m far from perfect, but let me share with you the defenses I have set up to keep me safe. Rather than simply hoping I have the strength to get out of trouble when temptation knocks, I have decided to do my best to keep temptation from ever getting close to my front door. (As I tell you the things I do, you need to remember these are for me.)

Knowing my weaknesses and vulnerabilities, here’s what I do. I’ve decided to eliminate all temptation (I can think of) on my computer with a tracking software that sends a detailed (and scored) list of every single click I make.

Every. Single. Click.

This weekly report goes to two different men, both of whom have the authority to remove me from my role as pastor. If I didn’t have this boundary in place, there might be times that I’d find myself vulnerable. Now that I have no access, I am not ever tempted. I no longer have the option to jump over the edge into an abyss that would wreck my heart, destroy my marriage, and undermine my calling.

Why would I resist a temptation in the future when I have the power to eliminate it today?

Who knows your secrets? How can others help you uphold your boundaries?

Power Lift

Dear God, I know I’m accountable to you, but I also want to be accountable to others. Help me know who I can trust with my secrets.