"Love never fails; Joy cometh; Peace rules; Patience waits;
Kindness tenders; Goodness does; Faith fights;
Gentleness bows and Self-control..."
Self-control. This is the attribute I have been longing to get to since we began this study. It took everything I had (and then some) not to skip right to this topic. You see, in some areas I exhibit great amounts of self-control and in others, well...my flesh self is definitely controlling me. In day one we discover that exercising self-control can mean protection for us.
"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control"
Proverbs 25:28
I debated telling my "New Orleans Story" a few weeks ago in my LBY post on faith. I felt the Spirit indicating the timing wasn't right. Well, He's giving me the green light to briefly share for the sake of an example here. I've mentioned several times on this blog that I was a member of the United States Air Force (hoorah!). Well, after basic training I was sent off to technical school in Biloxi, MS. Along with me went a gal I'd become close with in basic. One weekend (after we'd reached the phase where we were allowed to leave base), this friend invited me to go with her and two guys to the French Quarter to dance. Now, in my defense, I had never heard of the French Quarter and dancing to me was nothing more than goofing off set to music lol.
I realized very quickly that my reason for going was very different than those I was with. They began drinking immediately. I refused to do the same. They teased me and tried to make me feel "weird" but I knew it wasn't right. After several hours, I was "accidentally" separated from them and found myself on the streets surrounded by hundreds of people I didn't know. I ended up finding a group of believers witnessing in the crowd. I followed them back to their church (in an alley) and the pastor drove me all the way back to the base in the middle of the night. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord rescued me because I exercised self-control in that situation. God protected me that entire night from one thing after another (it truly is a long story).
Beth comments that "any person without self-control is either an accident looking for a place to happen or a slave in chains." Wasn't that true for Samson in Day 2? I grew up learning about Samson but it was definitely on the most basic of levels. Goodness! The lessons we can take from a mere peek into that man's life are numerous! And then we visit Daniel again. Now there's someone with some serious self-control (and gentleness and faithfulness....etc). Beth summed up our comparison between Samson and Daniel with this:
"Both young men had everything going for them - with only one major difference; one was protected by the wall of self-discipline; one was not. Ouch."
Ouch indeed! After studying these two we moved onto Solomon. He got caught up in all of his "stuff" it seems. He took his eyes off God and then discovered that all the "stuff" and "pleasure" weren't enjoyable.
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
Ecclesiastes 5:10
What conclusion did "chasing the wind" bring him to?
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
We're far from wealthy by "American standards" but our needs are met daily by the Lord. I have often complained about our finances to God but He has always come through for us (despite being so undeserving). I can see how money relates to self-control. It can be sought like power, be used like a drug and can rule us like a puppet-master! I believe satan uses money as a foothold in many a marriage. He makes us believe the old saying that "Money makes the world go round". Well, in a way I suppose "the world" does bow to money, but it is God who makes the earth go round. It is God who causes the sun to rise. It is God who brings rain on our crops and food to our tables. It is God who gives and God who takes away...not money. I've felt very prompted lately to do an "In Relation To" study on money and I think that's what I'll do when I've finished this one.
From money, we moved to exercising self-control over the mind and the mouth! Beth went after television and I can't say I disagree with her. "Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word." Psalm 119:37 My aunt recalls having their TV flung out of the house by my preacher grandfather when she was young. There have been times I've thought that wasn't such a bad idea - especially if the kids are fighting over what to watch or sitting like zombies in some trance and not answering me when I call them. We really do limit our kids' viewing as well as our own. I guess that is one thing I do like about TiVo. We can fit the TV into our schedule instead of revolving ours around it. We've also had times where we fasted from viewing and those were some of the most peaceful weeks at our house!
It's funny that Beth would follow what enters the mind with what comes out of (or enters) the mouth. I've often felt the two were linked. "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34b) I do believe what we fill our minds with will influence our speech. Beth didn't just focus on the words we use, she also focused on self-control in what we put into our mouths. She accurately said "craving food (not to be confused with requiring food) tends to be the acceptable Christian addiction." You won't hear too many preachers admonishing their congregation in that area of their lives - why is that?
Last year I did an In Relation To Food study because what I put in my mouth has been an area of self-control I've struggled with for years now. I discovered a great deal about myself and God's view of food during the time of that study. This year I've been praying for a plan and after trying to "do it on my own" again, I finally got a word from the Lord about what to do. I mentioned it in my post, "Blair" is in the House, and while I'm not going to share it just yet, I am encouraged that the Lord is helping me re-gain some lost self-control in this area.
I can't believe we've gone through all nine attributes of the fruit of the Spirit already. I have learned so much. As you can probably see (at least you LBY ladies will likely notice), this post only goes through day four of our final week of homework. I've decided to save Day Five and the last video for one final post on this series.
"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12