Fruit of the Spirit: Margie and Self Control

fruit.of.the.spirit.week.nine.self.control.galatians5:23.

this is last in the fruit of the spirit blog series. i've learned so much over the last ten weeks (supposed to be nine :/) thanks, karen, for giving me a place to express myself. someday maybe i'll have my own blog.

self-control...just use it!

check these out... prov16:32, 25:28 rom13:12-14, 1cor6:12, 9:25-27 1thess5:22  titus2:12 heb12:2,  2pet1:5-7 certainly there are more! found this... http://www.openbible.info/topics/self-control

just like the other eight beautiful fruit of the Spirit, you have the free gift of self-control at your access any time...a sweet deposit from Holy Spirit when you accepted Christ into your heart!

it sounds easy, just use it. even david fell in this area. a man(or woman)after God's own heart. that's how i want to be known, don't you?

david was a man that could have benefited from the use of self-control, yet God called Him a man after His own heart. God is full of grace and mercy. david truly repented of his sin. God forgave him and used him in mighty and beautiful ways. (see 1&2sam 1kings 1chron)  david didn't say "oh lord forgive me, i'm sorry...do you mind if i do it again tomorrow?"  he fell on his face and completely turned from his sin. he changed his mind, yet still suffered consequence. he asked God to search his heart and lead him in the everlasting way. david fully surrendered to God. when repentance came, david changed.

did you know that anger can be averted by using self-control? how about lust...drunkenness...pride...gossip...lies...laziness...judgement...peer pressure... people pleasing??? sometimes using self-control just looks like saying "no!" (no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 1cor10:13) or often i stomp my foot and say, "get out!" when bad thoughts come in.

most everyone has a place (or places) where they need to tap into self-control. repent and just start using it! i've decided drum up the courage to confess a couple places i KNOW God is telling me to fast from, or even give up completely. i've been putting this blog off because i know it will be hard. but here goes...confession time...

one. binge-ing. ahhhh i said it.(even if i can't spell it) one example: the other night i woke up 3am-ish, went to the kitchen, got a small glass of silk chocolate milk (that's pretty healthy, right? soy milk) and opened the bag of chipsahoy cookies. i pulled out 2, really good, i shrugged "two won't hurt" i thought. "yummy, just 2 more" mmhm. then, "two more? why not?" wow, delicious... i'm not sure if i had more that night, but more times that not i can't stop. ugh!  or can i?  oh yeah, self-control. i've got this, because He's got it. Holy Spirit, help me. at parties and other gatherings that seem to revolve around food, i just keep going back for one more "something". one more can't hurt, can it?

two. social networking! this one is really hard, too! i am obsessed. i don't work as much in the summer. this opens up free reign iphone time. i absolutely love posting instagram pics, then posting them to facebook, and twitter. twitter connects me with people i respect and learn from in the christian world. facebook was my only connection with family and friends when we went to paris to get my sister who was gravely ill. God did so many amazing things while we were there, and i got to share it with the world. when God inspires me, i post it. when someone inspires me, i retweet it. i only use it for good, really.

so, this is what i am going to do... instead of filling an emotional need with one&two, i will take captive the thoughts that drive me there(2cor10:5). change my thinking (phil4:8). i will turn the other way.

1.total lifestyle change for me here. when i want to take more food than i need, when i get up in the night, when i start to go for more...i will seek Him, worship&praise Him. i will speak life over myself! i am fully equipped to do this!

2.i will take a break of unknown length from instagram, facebook, and twitter. every time i long to check my phone, i will long for and seek Jesus. I read the word.  i will go on my bible app if i'm alone.

3.i will fill up both of these misunderstood needs with the Father's love.

4.i will leave my phone on to check texts, calls and email, but you won't be able to reach me through instagram, fb, or twitter for a while. i know He promises to provide a way out when i'm tempted. 

i repent from these distractions from you, God. oh, how many hours have i missed with you, Jesus? how much time have i wasted? forgive me Lord. i want to waste my life on You. i want to hear Your voice more. i want to know Your word and carry it in my heart more. i want to be more sensitive to Your prompting and direction. forgive me for spending more time like a zombie than seeking and being with You.  (that i may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that i will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please You in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of You, God; strengthened with all power, according to Your glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to You, Father, who has qualified me to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.col.3:9-12)

maybe it's relationships i long for. connection to people. i'm going to put down the food and my phone now.

right here, right now, open my eyes, open my ears...

to see and hear, to be aware of all the beautiful opportunities to really connect with people (my husband, daughter, the sister i live with, the one i don't, family, friends, strangers...) social networking has given me a great new connection with family and friends i would otherwise not connect with...this i will miss, but we can still reach each other! 

join me? i'm sure you are not over-indulgent where i am. where are you lacking self-control?

grace and peace to you, margie 

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