Do you struggle with drinking in excess? Most of us would answer, no, but have you ever thought about what God would say regarding your alcohol consumption? Peer pressure to drink in excess or even eat beyond a healthy lifestyle leads to an emptiness that seems to beg for more and more to feel a greater fix.

Solomon warned about choosing our closest friends because they become the most influential persons in our lives: “Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path: Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags” (Proverbs 23:19-21). The king’s fifteenth of his thirty sayings teaches us to beware of the slothful sluggard and not become one ourselves.

“Eat, drink, and be merry” seems to be a popular sentiment, but when we let it become the focus of our lives, it steers us apart from God’s design. Something inside each of us desires the path of least resistance. Easy Street simply sounds attractive, and the more time we spend with likeminded friends who want to party, the more likely we are to desire the same. However, left unchecked, it can lead to destruction. Solomon revealed: “Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich” (Proverbs 21:17).

Commit to drinking no alcohol for the next thirty days. During that same time period, walk an hour each day, as you listen to worship music and talk with God. Ask His input on planning your day. Take each step with the One who designed you and surrender the next one to Him. He will recalibrate your mind and your life.

Episode 96: 30 Sayings of the Wise: Friends from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.