Philip Yancey tells about an African safari he was on where he saw an old momma giraffe taking care of her offspring. Shortly after he was born, she went over & kicked her offspring, & it looked like she was really hurting her baby. Then she did it again. Each time, the little giraffe would get up on his wobbly legs & try to walk. Still she continued kicking him. Finally, he got up pretty rapidly & ran away from her kicks. Phil turned to his guide & asked, “Why does the mother giraffe do that?” The guide answered, “The only defense the giraffe has is its ability to get up quickly & to out run its predator. If it can’t do that, it will soon die.” While it looked like it was a cruel thing, it was really the most loving thing the mother could do for her offspring.
That's the way with discipline, It's no fun, it's often painful, yet in the end it's essential for us to survive and grow as a person. Many of us would like to dream there are no consequences for our actions, but in reality there are. The first couple Adam and Eve learned that lesson the hard way. Living in paradise there lives seem to be picture of tranquility and peace. Most of the pressures of human existence were irrelevant for them and yet on one fateful day their paradise was shattered by their lack of discipline and the consequence of sin. We all realize we need more self discipline, but how do we get there. Here are some biblical answers to try:
Look for a way out.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
We all have weaknesses. Our weaknesses are different, and affect us in different ways, but we have them . One of the best ways to avoid breakdowns of self control is to not put ourselves in a place where our resolve will be tested, or if we find ourselves in one find the exit sign. It's true that sometimes the road out is through and if this is the case we need too.......
Seek accountability
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)
Including someone else in our struggle will help us remain true to our commitment. It good to have the encouragement and challenge that another person bring to the mix. Weight loss experts say that group based programs are more successful because of the commendatory and good “peer pressure” that a group brings.
Depend on the Lord
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The best way to become more self controlled is to become God controlled. When the Holy Spirit moves in and takes over the reigns of our life those things that were unmanageable fall into place. Through the power of God, and his word we can overcome the mountains in our lives that were impossible.
