"Self" control

Matthew 1:26

    "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

I have started this particular blog three times now. Three times, I've attempted to say something about Self-Control, and twice now, I've started over. This particular subject is turning out to be something of a challenge for me to write. That comes as somewhat of a surprise to me, and I'm sure to some who know my history. In the past, I've been "good" at this self-control thing. I just determine that I want to do something, and do it. But as I've grown older, wiser...and I'm guessing somewhat lazier, my self-control has slipped by the way side. I can no longer look at myself in the mirror, see something that needs changing and just like that; be able to fix the behavior that caused the issue. Why is my self-control slipping? Why can't I just be like I was 15 years ago when I decided caffeine wasn't for me? Well I'm thinking that old self-control was all about ME and had very little to do with God.

I have quoted the verse at the top of my post over and over and over again to myself and people who need encouraging in something. So why am I still struggling? I think I've some how missed the point of the verse. Or maybe, I am just talking, and not ACTING on the verse. I seem to be connecting this back to my first blog; Faith of a Small Seed, in my head. I KNOW that all things are possible with Christ, but do I really believe it? And if I do believe it, do I act on that belief? I feel like Satan has done a superb job of distracting me from living out this verse. Why should I, a sinner, have the privilege of even coming to Christ, let alone asking his help to do something? Maybe this self-control, or lack there of, is why my TMJ is still lingering when both my mother and grandmother were healed of it?

Dictionary.com defines self-control this way: control or restraint of oneself or one's actions, feelings, etc. For once, it seems that the word is easily defined; so much so that this one definition was given and that was it. I would say that self-control in a Biblical sense would have to be defined differently. It would have to say something like: control or restraint of oneself or one's actions, feelings etc; through the strength of Jesus Christ. Adding that last part would mean that we, as humans, can have no self-control. However, there is hope yet...because we CAN add Jesus to that definition! By adding Jesus you are again brought back to the verse "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 1:26).

What does that mean to me? It means that in my own strength I will fail, but with Christ at my helm I am ready to fly! I can do ANYTHING with Him, be it move a mountain, be healed of my TMJ, or something as simple as loving my life...I can do it with Christ! So now my prayer list not only includes praying for that faith of a mustard seed, and praising God for granting me patience; but it now includes me laying it all at His feet, giving Him the control to make my "self" control doable! Thank you Jesus!