Sitting around the dinner table, my husband and I listened to our young daughters chatter about their day. Running commentaries about school, friends, and the things they find funny can run over their lips faster than their brains can formulate a thought. While chewing too much food in her mouth, our youngest daughter seemed to be deep in thought. After a loud swallow she turned to her dad and asked, “Do you know what self control is?”

Her random question was odd yet incredibly amusing because I wasn’t sure if she was sincerely asking or putting her dad in the hot seat. To answer her question I asked her the same question in return. Does she know what self control is? At the tender age of four, I know self control is a fruit of her spirit that lacks a little, shall we say, depth.

When it comes to the rules of our morality, there are some that seem more obvious than others. Do not kill? Sure wouldn’t. Do not steal? Absolutely. Do not commit adultery? Got it. Do not worship any other gods? Not this girl. Do not lie? Well, sure. And what about coveting what others have? Or abusing the Lord’s name? Or keeping the Sabbath holy? Do not make any idols? What would be considered an idol? Now the landscape begins to get a little murky.

What’s obvious is that for most of us there are a good portion of these rules of life that are easy to obey. But some are more of a struggle than others in our sinful humanity. And it is because of those very struggles that the enemy of our soul seeks a way in to try and mess us up.

When we have moments where our faith is tested and the struggle is real, the enemy sweeps in with his lethal whispers in attempt to divert our attention and muddle up what we know is truth. Why should you worship God when you can be your own god? Why should you follow God’s rules when you can make your own rules? And then the very meaning of self-control is twisted and deformed so viciously that it morphs into the illusion that we have the control we crave. We become wise in our own eyes unable to see through the murkiness.

It is all a game of the mind. For us to live by the Spirit and have self control, it begins first with submitting our mind to Christ.

In the epistle written to the early church in Rome known as the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church in his lengthy letter that their salvation would be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ alone. Paul taught heavily that for one to submit and obey unto Christ’s teachings would be to die to self and gain life everlasting. To seek the Holy Spirit would be to gain self-control. And it all begins with our mind:

If people’s thinking is controlled by the sinful self, there is death. But if their thinking is controlled by the Spirit, there is life and peace.
Romans 8:6

And no where is the holy scriptures does it say that this would be easy. No where in the holy scriptures does it say we would not struggle. And no where in the holy scriptures does it say we would have to do it on our own. Whatever our struggle, whatever the sin that keeps us down, whatever the one rule we have the most difficultly following, we must stand upon the truth that we can win, we can overcome, and we can obey. One struggle, one day at a time.

Father, help me to submit my mind each and every day unto you and your Spirit. I do not want to be controlled by my sinful nature but by your spirit so that I may experience a life filled with your peace. In Jesus name, amen.