“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7

What is self-control?

Well.

According to Google Dictionary, self-control is the ability to control oneself, in particular one’s emotions and desires or the expression of them in one’s behavior, especially in difficult situations.

Dan’s definition is a little less complicated. Self-Control is the ability to control your thoughts, emotions, and actions.

My question for you is what do you do with your self-control?

The other day I was traveling (go figure Dan traveling, no way. Lol) and what I discovered was that I was building some pretty bad self-control habits while I was traveling.

I was not eating the way I was at home. I would take extra time for things that I should be doing. And to be honest I was failing in several areas that I did not want to fail in.

At the end of one of my trips, I was evaluating what I had accomplished.

Let’s see, I was able to record more than 20 podcast episodes. Recorded more than 15 videos for a goal-setting course I created. I wrote 4-5 blogs. I wrote 2-3 devotionals. Talked to about 2 dozen customers, helped Jenna to organize her thoughts, and scheduled for an extremely complicated day. And put out fires for clients across the nation.

I got plenty accomplished, but I noticed that I was slipping on some of my personal self-discipline.

I wasn’t eating in a way that made me feel healthy.

You know, like eating ice cream after dinner, instead of having a protein shake to quench my sweet tooth.

I was doing a few other things that I didn’t like either.

I like to consider myself extremely self-disciplined. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it.

Like when I decided that I was going to try this new high-protein diet and see if I could lose some weight. I stuck to it hard. And lost over 20 lbs.

When we decided to start these devotionals, we published one every single week for the last 3+ years.

Or writing blogs. I have published a blog once a week for the past 3+ years.

I think you get the point when I tell myself that I am going to do something. I DO IT. No questions asked.

But here lately, I have been slipping on a few things.

So what did I do to help give me the strength to get back to being self-disciplined on those things?

I prayed.

My prayer was simple. Because I’m a simple guy.

Lord, help, give me the strength to have the discipline in the areas that I need the most. Thank you. Amen.

Here is the thing, Satan loves it when we slip, and stumble.

Then he makes it easier and easier for us to continue to slip.

Let’s say that you have been killing it, not drinking any Soda-Pop. Then you have pizza one night and you think, “Man a Soda would be really tasty with this. I’ll have just one drink!

That one drink turns into a whole bottle of soda.

Then that turns into a soda every day.

And that turns into 2 sodas every day!

Do you see how it just keeps getting easier and easier to keep slipping?

In the beginning, we allow ourselves to indulge just a little. We find that that didn’t hurt us. So we keep going.

This happens with everything.

Like working out, eating right, looking at porn, drinking alcohol, watching too much TV, and pretty much anything.

I’ll just watch this one show. Then before you know it you have binged watched 5 seasons of that tv show!