Our Inner Slave Driver

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Our Inner Slave Driver

Galatians 5:1 - “…Do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

“I’m tired,” shared my friend. “When my husband’s gone I don’t go to sleep at a reasonable time.”

“But he travels every week with his job,” I said. “You must be tired a lot.”

“Yeah, I guess I am,” she admitted. “Recently I stopped long enough to ask myself why I don’t go to bed at a decent time when he’s gone.”

“And what was your answer?” I asked.

“Well, if I go to bed and sleep, I’ll be wasting time. I need to make good use of each minute.”

My friend has an inner slave driver who gives her faulty messages. “Your value depends on how well you spend each second of the day or night. Keep busy, don’t waste any precious moments and make certain you account for every hour.”

Many of us have faulty rules that control our thoughts and consequently our behavior. What can we do to change the defective messages and stop the self-destructive patterns?

Challenge the old rules with new, more respectful self-talk. My friend tried the following: “I am a valuable person even when I am not busy. I can go to sleep at a reasonable hour and still be a productive person.”

Lord, you love and accept me

whether I’m working or sleeping.

Today I’ll listen to you and be free.

Joan C. Webb