For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; 2 Peter 1:5-6

We have already spent time on faith, goodness, knowledge and now it is time to tackle the dreaded self control.

GREEK GOODIE

egkráteia:  from” in the sphere of”  (“dominion, mastery”) – properly, dominion within,  “self-control” – proceeding out from within oneself, but not by oneself.

For the believer, (“self-control, Spirit-control”) can only be accomplished by the power of the Lord (“true mastery from within”) is explicitly called a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:23).  (Bible Hub)

Do you ever fantasize about being in control of others?  I imagine it would be so rewarding to control other folks!  The cars in front of me would go the proper speed.  My husband would never be late.  And I would be a “Control Freak”!  YIKES

I have found by experience less “self” you have, the more “control” you have! And most areas my gains in self control I learned from making a mistake or watching someone else blow it.  Plus the more time I spend in the Bible or praying I seem to be discovering self control.

Who’s in Charge Around Here?

Welcome to my heart!  I don’t invite many folks in, but today is Open Heart Day and I extend a welcome…come on in.  As you can see my heart is a little messy I didn’t  straighten it up because I want you to see the real me.   That fellow in the old recliner is Jesus (He is used to my messy life).  The sweet Holy Spirit is here but you can’t see Him.  First thing in the morning I get a piping hot mug of coffee and sit with  Jesus while we have a discussion that you could title: “Who’s in Charge Around Here?”.  Every morning I want Jesus to be in control but just like a back seat driver sometimes can’t help it…. I unseat him and self control is out the door. No worries, tomorrow is another day.

That’s what 2 Peter 5-6 is all about “make every effort to ADD… self control”.

The first thing I think of when I think: “self control” is my weight which has often been a struggle.  However through the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus has been winning.  I learned self control when it came to eating after I discovered what gluttony is: eating when you are not hungry.  OOPs.  So when I want to have something I give myself permission to have it, but I have to wait until I’m hungry. I also learned my stomach is the size of my fist so I eat smaller.

Do I always have self control in what I say?   I have learned I will NEVER regret not saying something mean or not putting someone in their place.  Every time I shut my mouth, I am “adding self control.”

“Adding self control”  is like the Holy Spirit upcycling me.  He is making me into something really beautiful using my old nature as his materials.  I love upcycling!  So I made a cute little cat assemblage with a saying I used to have on a refrigerator magnet in my dieting days.

 

 

I hot glued three old thread spools on a old brass candlestick and covered the spools with paper clay.

 

 

Then I got out my trusty metal stamps and pressed in the phrase “Never Eat More Than You Can Lift” which tickles me every time I see it!

I let the clay dry overnight. In the morning I covered the paper clay with a good coat of ModPodge and let that fully dry. Then I covered the paper clay with a thin coat of  craft paint that I wiped off to a super thin layer so the words showed through.  I’ve had the Avon bottle cat head sitting in a drawer for a long time along with the brass candlestick.  I love playing with tulle and ribbons to made a girly-girly skirt.

 

 

Her collar is a rhinestone pin and she wasn’t finished until I made some paper arms with ribbon bell sleeves and popped on some bright red ribbon roses.

 

 

This whimsical cat pokes fun of eating, but often food is a good place to start “adding in self control”.  At least that was a good starting point for me.