
28 May Self Control
This morning I looked up the word self control and the definition for it means, the ability to control oneself in particular ones emotions and desires or the expression of them in ones behavior, especially in difficult situations. WOW!!
There are 3 things that stuck out to me most in this definition…
1) to control one’s emotions and desires!
2) especially in difficult situations.
3) the expression (something outward) of our behavior
Emotions and desires are STRONG feelings! This is why the Bible tells us to be “renewed by our minds”. What does that mean? That means getting the truth inside of us SO deep that we are not controlled by our emotions because sometimes our emotions can be deceiving.
So as emotions come do you just ignore them? No! Just as a headache tells you that something is wrong … Same goes with emotions. Something needs to be dealt with.
Many times when people have a headache they take asprin as their solution and because it goes away ‘in the moment’ they think it is good enough. But it usually comes back because the root was never dealt with it was only covered.
When we take ‘our junk’ to God and allow Him to show us what is really going on, he then can direct us, Give us the power and strength to walk it out, insight, wisdom, truth, healing, ect. When we instead try and handle and figure things out on our own it usually leads us down the path of having to go thru it all over again in which leads to depression, disappointment and despair.
The Bible says (Jer 33:3) that when we call to him, he will tell us great unsearchable things that we do not know, when we ask. So that means this is not something we can just do by ourselves (self-help).
Also note that self control does not take place in easy situations (from what the definition reads). That means when we ‘feel like’ getting back at someone for the way they just treated us, we say no. (Oh so difficult) or when they give us that look, we say no. When they just keep nagging and criticizing, we just say no. It is doing what is right rather than doing what you want to do. It is a form of denying ourselves or dying to ourselves. Jesus made it clear that in order to follow Him we must deny ourselves AND take up our cross (which is an instrument of death).
Galatians 5:24- and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
When Jesus asked his disciples to pray they were led by their feelings of being tired and fell asleep so Jesus replied the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, pray.
And the biggest one of all 1st Peter 5:8 says, “be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion for someone to devour”…
That means if you allow your feelings to control you and you don’t stay on your guard the enemy will get you, devour you. WOW! So how does the enemy do that? Does that mean that he comes into my house and takes advantage of my children? No that means he uses me against my children when I can’t stay in control of myself. When I discipline in anger, he just used me. When they make mistakes and I tear them down with my words, he just used me.
So when we hear the enemy whisper things like, you’re going to let her treat you like that? Don’t you think you need to do something about that… Think about how you’re following. Once we come into agreement with him (enemy) and take matters into our own hands (bitterness, forgiveness) he got us. But when we die to ourselves and our feelings, doing what is right even when we don’t feel like it we are coming into agreement with God. This is practicing self control. Take a moment to evaluate today before you act or react. Who are you following and is it bringing you life and those around you?
Lord I thank you for wisdom. I thank you for self- control. Holy Spirit I ask that you would reveal truth to us individually as we go about our day. That you would open our eyes to how we are handling the choices you lay before us. Show us a step-by-step step on how to die to ourselves so that we are coming into agreement with you and not the enemy or our own selfishness. Give us new perspective and encounters that will forever change us in the way we do things and treat others. Give us the power and strength to walk it out. In Jesus name, amen
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