Self-control rules!

'Christianity has so many rules'; 'You're missing out on so much because of your faith!' Ring any bells? Sadly many people see Christianity as just that - rules, rules, rules. The Bible does show us God's commands, which require self-control, but rules aren't just there for the sake of it. There's good reason to restrict what we do and how we do it. People without rules and self-control become slaves to their emotions and desires.

God's rules give us freedom (sounds backwards, but it's 100% true); freedom to live as God made us to, not to conform to society's norms. That freedom, however, can only be released if we obey God's ways. The good news is we're not left on our own to do this. God has sent us the Holy Spirit who lives inside us and, if we allow him to, helps us to exercise self-control.

But self-control isn't just a physical thing; it's a mind thing too. It's one thing to stop ourselves from doing or saying something but it's more difficult to stop ourselves from indulging certain thoughts. Jesus tells us that when we actively think about stuff that isn't healthy, we're as guilty as if we had actually done it (see Matthew 5:28). So let's, with the help of the Holy Spirit, learn self-control for our minds.



So what now? Which of God's 'rules' or commandments do you find the hardest to obey? Write it down. Now, ask God to help you follow it, to give you more freedom.





— SCRIPTURE —

'God's Spirit makes us...self-controlled.' Galatians 5:22-23 CEV
— SOULFOOD —

3 John, Jude, John 13:31-38, Ps 118:1-9, Pro 27:23-27