The 5 Second Rule by Anthony ThompsonSample

This devotional came about after I received a message on Instagram regarding one of my previous devotionals. This person commented how they loved how I wrote about popular books with a Biblical view. I said, “Thank you, tell me more about you.”

As they shared more of their story with me, they mentioned Mel Robbins (who I also really like).

They said they loved her books but wished she was a follower of Jesus. I agreed with them and thought to myself, “What would it look like if we put the lens of scripture on Mel Robbins’ uber-popular book, “The 5 Second Rule”?

Well, here you go. The goal of this is always to bring you closer to Jesus. May these next three days be transformational for you in spirit, soul, mind, and body. God bless you. ♥️

Day 1: Finding Courage to Follow God

Mel Robbins Quote: "The moment you have an instinct to act on a goal, apply the 5 Second Rule."

Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:6 - "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Before we dig into this a bit, I need to provide some context as to WHAT the 5-second rule actually means. It’s a great concept because it will help you take action and be obedient to the Lord.

OK, get ready - here - we - go!

In her book, The 5-Second Rule, Mel shares her struggles with depression and how she developed a 5-second rule to help her take action.

The rule went like this - anytime Mel needed to take action on a decision, she would count down, “5-4-3-2-1, and then do it.”

If you are having to think about an action, there is usually some sort of risk associated with that action. Your brain is wired to avoid pain, and so it hesitates, looking for a reason not to do it.

When you use the 5-second rule it overrides your brain from dishing more doubts and fears about the action.

Let's talk about David and Goliath.

Imagine being David, one of the youngest guys around, facing a giant everyone else was scared of. He didn't have fancy armor or big weapons, just a sling and some stones.

But you know what? He had something bigger - his trust in God. He thought, "God's got my back, so I can do this."

And he did!

Just like David, when you're scared to start something, remember God is with you. Count down 5-4-3-2-1, and go for it!

As I think about David just going after it, I’m reminded of Peter.

I feel like Peter lived his whole life without counting at all. Peter just got after it and got stuff done. Remember when Jesus was betrayed by Judas - Peter jumped in and chopped off a guy’s ear. Ha - there was no 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1, he just DID it!

Remember when Jesus was out walking on water, and He said to Peter, “Come to me.”

I can just imagine Peter just going for it. He didn’t have a 5-second countdown. He responded. He took action, and Peter walked on water. How epic is THAT!

A few weeks ago, as I was driving to a meeting, I exited the freeway and came to a red light. I live in Phoenix, and it’s pretty common for homeless people to be around high-traffic areas.

On this particular day, I saw a homeless man with a sign. I never like seeing homeless people because it HURTS. If you have been poor or homeless - you get it.

I can’t imagine what they have gone through and how much pain they are in.

Even though I feel so much pain for the homeless, there are times when I just don’t know what to do.

As I came to a stop and saw the homeless man, the thought came, “Give him some money.” I immediately rejected the idea.

I thought to myself, “I don’t really have that much cash on me.”

Another thought that came to mind was, “He is probably going to use the money for drugs.” Another thought that came to mind was, “What is a couple of bucks actually going to do?”

It was thought after thought as to why I should not give this homeless man money.

As the thoughts continued to pour in, I grabbed the cash from my glove box, rolled down the window, and handed it to the homeless man.

My mind was giving me a million reasons why I shouldn’t, but in that moment, I knew what I needed to do and took action.

I love this simple phrase from God’s Word, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”

What about you?

What do you need to be more courageous about?

Where could you use the 5-second rule in your own life?

What is the Lord speaking to you now?

What does courage look like for you in your life?

What do you need to repent to the Lord about regarding this area?

I just think the world of you because God thinks the world of you. He cares about you so much.

He wants you to be courageous. He wants you to be obedient. He wants you to take action.

The entire Bible is filled with men and women taking action for the Lord.

Affirmation: "I am brave and can achieve my goals with God's help."

A few more questions to play with:

• Ever felt too scared to try something new? What was that like?
• What could you use the 5-second rule in today?

Prayer: God, give me the guts to follow Your path. Remind me you're always there, so I don't have to be scared. Amen.