Self-control

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

        1Tim. 1.7

Self-control most certainly starts with self, and the behaviour I choose to adopt. As a Christian my earnest desire is to please and delight God. I want to follow Jesus and live in the will and the ways of the Father. Thus, for me, self-control involves myself and it involves God.

Self-control embraces self discipline. There are things I may wish to do that do not form part of God's plan for me. I need the discipline for myself, firstly to recognise those things that may be unhelpful to my life in God and, secondly, I need the discipline to turn from them and freely embrace God's will.

A difficulty I'm experiencing in recent times and experiences is where I am faced with a human situation which provokes me to want to rise up in indignation, and even anger, and strike out. I want justice, and maybe mercy takes a back seat. At such times, I think  I need to discipline myself to pause, wait on God, and seek His way forward for me.

Paul reminds me that God did not give me a spirit of timidity. And so, when faced with challenging situations, I may not be required to back down necessarily, but the way forward needs to be carefully considered. As well as not having a spirit of timidity, the spirit that I do have is one of power, and love and, of course, self-discipline.

Therefore I need to face all situations - good, bad or otherwise - in love and with God's power working in conjunction with my self-discipline. Yes, the power is God's. When I am privileged with access to His power, I need to remember that it is, indeed, His. As I seek Him and His way, so He will show me how I should exercise the power that is available to me.

I am not called to be timid. Rather I am blessed to live in the power of His love, to live my life on this earth in His power coupled with my self-discipline.

Lord, Mighty God.

I feel I still have a way to go in how I exercise self-discipline. I feel I particularly need Your direction in situations where I simply want to strike out for justice and equity.

I seek Your help that I might always act in love, not moving in timidity but exercising God-given power in love and obedience. I so want to follow Jesus. I ask You to help me. Thank You.      Amen.