Very wise Lecrae (most scripture based lyrical rapper) hit it on the head. He's right our natural desire is not to be "better person" no our natural tendency is the opposite.
"No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means the only complete realist.”― C.S. Lewis
Why is it that I still don't get this? I know why because normally I just give in and don't rely on HIM and ask for his help to fight those constant temptations in my life.
Self-control is probably my hardest struggle in almost every area of my life. Why is it so difficult? Or is it?
The key to self control is realizing just what Lecrae and C.S Lewis were talking about....we don't have the POWER in our flesh to fight all our fleshly desires, only the SPIRIT indwelling in us. Every child of God is enabled to master his thoughts, desires, inclinations, impulses, resentments, and keep them from spinning out of control by gaining strength from the Holy Spirit.
"So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." Galatians 5:16-18Practicing the spiritual discipline of self control takes me constantly yielding to the Spirit and asking for the supernatural power. Surrendering myself over as a living sacrifice....be transformed (changing) by the renewing of our mind. It's by God's power but we have a part to play.... Taking every thought captive and having a Christ-like perspective. (2 Corth 10:5)
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1-2
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