Self-control is self-love
One of my hobbies (if you haven’t figured it out) is I like to read. I’m one of those readers that will stay up late to finish a book. However, one night, I knew I had to get up early the next day, but I decided to open a book for a few minutes. A few minutes led to a few hours. I became upset with myself because I knew I was going to be tired when it was time to get up. Conviction hit. I disregarded my health for pleasure – something I could have easily picked up the next day.
I realized that self-control doesn’t just refer to holding your tongue when you want to go off or not eating that piece of cake when you really want it. Self-control is doing what is best for you and your mission to please God despite what your flesh wants to do. It’s turning off the television to read your Word. It’s getting off the phone so you can pray. Self-control is self-love. It’s loving yourself enough to get the sleep you need instead of reading that chapter or watching that episode. It’s filling yourself up with God’s goodness instead of the wiles of this world. It’s prioritizing your body and soul.
By procrastinating and over-indulging in things that brings us pleasure, we hinder our purpose. It causes us to feel overwhelmed, inadequate, unprepared, rushed and not purposeful. Not getting enough sleep damages our body in numerous ways but when God calls us to do something, we are unable to give him 100%. Overeating harms the temple because it’s harder for the Spirit to work through us: We get tired easier, health problems arise, etc. By practicing self-control, we practice self-love for our future selves. Our tomorrows are influenced by the decisions we make today. Proverbs 13:4 (NLT) says: “Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.”
This blog post isn’t to condemn you, but to encourage us (especially me lol) to do better – for ourselves and for God – to have purposeful, fulfilling lives.
Let’s do better of saying no to right now, so we can say yes to the life God has designed for us to have.
