I always enjoy talking with my friends who are in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). I get so many insights on life and ministry.

Recently, an A.A. friend was telling me about something that happened when he had been sober about six months. Someone asked how he was, and he replied with an A.A. acronym that meant, among other things, “insecure, neurotic, and emotional.” The older A.A. member said, “Do you know what that means?” My friend: “Yes.” The older A.A. member replied, “That’s OK. You can feel any way you want…as long as you stay sober.”

I like that. Often, we’re told directly or in movies or on television, “Just follow your heart.” That sounds good, but the heart can call us in the wrong direction. In that case, “You can feel any way you want…as long as you keep following Jesus…as long as you stay faithful to your spouse…as long as you don’t falsify that expense report…as long as…[fill in the blank].”

And [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9.23, ESV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things…I discipline my body and keep it under control… (1 Corinthians 9.24, 25, 27, ESV)