The NorthWord
NorthWord is a daily Christian podcast from St. John's Fort Smith in collaboration with the Anglican Family. Hosted by Father Aaron from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.
Here's how it works: Every Sunday we release the full sermon preached that morning. Then Monday through Saturday, you get 3-5 minute daily reflections based on that sermon - one thought you can actually use each day. Every Wednesday we explore the rhythm of Jesus' life and how his followers have lived it out for 2,000 years.
Whether you're Pentecostal, Orthodox, Baptist, Catholic, or just curious about faith - this is for you. Ancient faith. Real life. No fluff.
The Word. The North. Your Week.
Follow @StJohnsFortSmith and @TheAnglicanFamily
The NorthWord
Even If You Know Better
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You know exactly what you should do. Knowing isn't the problem. The problem is that knowing isn't the same as doing.
Text Us directly by clicking 'Text Us' at the top of these show notes to share your journey!
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theanglicanfamily
Connect with us: https://linktr.ee/TheNorthWord
Good morning. This is Northword. We know we shouldn't eat that second slice of cake. We eat it anyway, and that is exactly why God disciplines us. Good morning. This is Northword, the Word, the North, your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Fort Smith in collaboration with the Anglican family. I'm your host, Father Aaron. Today's episode is brought to you by Isabel's Bread in Fort Smith, the best bread in the territories. Support local. Here's something we all know about ourselves, if we're truly honest. We know what we should do, and we do something else anyway. We've eaten a full meal, we're satisfied, we know we should walk away from the table, but we eat the dessert anyway, and then we feel sick. That small ordinary moment is actually a perfect picture of the human condition. The problem is not always ignorance. Very often we know exactly what the right thing is. The problem is that knowing is not the same as doing. And this is why God, in his wisdom, doesn't just instruct us, he disciplines us. Because if the knowledge were enough, we would already be doing it. This is a wonderful line. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 23. I have the right to do anything, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive. Paul is writing to a community arguing about their freedom in Christ. They were right that they were free, but they were wrong about what freedom meant. Freedom is not license to do whatever you want, freedom is the capacity to do what is right. One of the great church fathers says like this, our freedom is the freedom of self-discipline. Being free does not mean doing what you like. Being free means doing what is right. God disciplines us precisely because he knows we are capable of more than we are currently doing. Discipline is not the sign of God being angry, of a God who is disappointed in you. It is a sign of God who believes in who you are becoming. And that is worth sitting with. This has been Northword, the Word, the North Your Week, a daily podcast from St. John's Fort Smith, in collaboration with the Anglican family. God's discipline is God's belief in your future. In this moment, that is the most important thing you can know. And then you can use the text us link in the description to reach out and let us know where you are on your journey. Until tomorrow, God be with you.