Paul beat his body and made it his slave so that after he preached to others, he would not be disqualified for the prize. To beat one’s body and make it his slave is excruciatingly painful, requires persistence, and demands resolve. This means that the physical body will not rule over the spiritual tendencies. This is absolutely necessary because either the physical or the spiritual holds more power. If the physical wins, though, the spiritual is left powerless and ineffective.
In my life, flesh has become so dominant. I have become lazy, giving into to comfort, idleness, and lethargy. Whenever my flesh cries for something, I satisfy it. Even in my eating habits, I have not denied myself and my body bears the consequence. I have become so accustomed to feeding my flesh, that my spirit has lost its voice. All the youth, EM members, and unsaved souls that deserve my love and care have been neglected. I need to deny my flesh because it has too strong of a grip over me. I will start scheduling again. In doing this, I will remember my responsibilities towards God, others, and myself. There is too much God to love, too many people to serve, and too much holiness to pursue. I cannot allow my body to make me its slave. Instead, I must take on the fight to once again “beat my body and make it my slave.”
