A while back, my friend and I were memorizing scripture together every week. We haven't done it for a while, with her having a baby and life's busyness, but I crave to do that again...and I will.
One of the scriptures we memorized was 1 Corinthians 9:25-28 which says, "Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
I have been convicted time and time again from this passage. My life lacks a lot of self-control and my body lacks discipline. It probably is nothing that seems "major," but small things add up. Areas like amount of my computer usage, not being in God's word daily, laziness, food consumption and organization have all been filled with little self-control and discipline. I have slowly been working over the last few months to live by this verse. I started working out a couple of months ago, not to be skinny, but to be healthy and to do something consistently. I have tried to set aside time every day for me and God, and have been working to be a better organizer in our home.
Then after Christmas, I decided my body needed a sugar detox and I made a goal to not eat sugar for 30 days. I started December 27 and here we are, January 27, and I have not had any sugar! I have kept away from all candies, cookies, baked goods, sugary drinks and even ice cream, my biggest weakness.
Over this last month I have learned this...when I am trying to practice self-control it's not supposed to be easy, that's why it's a form of exercise! If not eating sweets was easy for me, I wouldn't have to use the absence of it as a lesson in self-control. If I just gave in and had a little bit of gelato because it was free and we were at a friend's restaurant and I LOOVE ice cream, or just a little bite of Cheesecake because, come on, we are at the Cheesecake Factory, my challenge would be useless. You mean I can't even have half of that scone? NO! Either work on self-control or don't! I have been in each of these positions this last month. I have been faced with many offers for sweets...and I have said no every time!
I'm not saying all of this to be "puffed up" or proud. I say it because self-control with food is one of my biggest areas of weakness in life and God has shown me this month that I can do it!
From here, I plan to keep sugar out of my diet for the most part. In fact, that doesn't really sadden me. I have been researching the effects of refined sugar on our bodies, and I don't like what it does! Yes I really enjoy the taste of it, but God has shown me I don't need it all the time...I will eat sweets on special occasions, but in moderation. I want to use this lesson to continue in my quest for self-control and discipline.
1 comment:
YOU DID IT!!! So proud of you. I appreciate what you have been saying all along about exercising self control. Weight loss with diet and/or exercising can very quickly become a dangerous idol in a woman's life but your focus was on developing disciplines in your life and greater health- the fitter body is just a bonus :) The spiritual disciplines you learned are of greater worth!
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