Self-Control

I always thought that I was a hands-on type of person who prefers using senses than intuition. However, after I came to Calvin, I realized that I enjoy intense brain exercises as well! And the most important thing is that we balance our spiritual, intellectual, and physical life. And I like to do that by applying concepts of one field to the other, especially extending the spiritual message into intellectual, physical, and social sector of my life.

Last week, I learned a mind blowing concept which helped me to have a better understanding of pursuing life with God. Self- Control. Not just an ordinary self-control that restrains me from having another cookie or cutting sleep, but the self-control of Jesus. ACTIVE SELF-CONTROL.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” <Hebrews 12:18>

It is a self-control to mature for the goal waiting. It is a self-control to give my life more to God. It is a self-control to actually propel forward and deeply into this world.

I always had a question on how can I break the gates of Satan. Because Jesus has defeated Satan already but my life still seems to be stuck in a status quo. I don’t know how and where to start from. There could be many reasons but I believe that at least some parts are due to the passive form of self-control. The ordinary passive self-control is rooted in the pessimistic conscience of I can’t or I shouldn’t which is slid into the downward spiral of restrains. Also it was just sad to leave what I liked, and those always seem better once I commit to control it. Or not long after, I forgot what I was doing this for. Instead of our calling to burst outward and continue with the momentum, this passive self-control restrains and captures us into sometimes self-set restrictions which could be away from God’s will.

Think about it, it sounds very different and feels very different. Which is more motivating, “I have to cut my sleep, I only will sleep 4 hours a day” or “because I want to know more about you God and I want to live a deeper and richer life with you, I will rise in the early morning”? Sometimes, these small changes in intention change the whole outcome. I like it positive.   

Hopefully you would find a way to change your life’s dynamic into active and positive form rather than restrained and negative.