Day 2: Self control - Is it an impossible goal?

The New Year is quite infant. It is the usual practice to be fired up! We all begin anew. New diets, New exercise regiments, New Bible study plans. New time management plans, New Habits & Routines. We make New Resolutions and commit to breaking bad habits, mending broken friendships, and becoming a better person. I am not left in that fashion. And like me, we soon forget our good-intended plans and itineraries as the year roll by.

Soon, life gets busy. We return to old habits & routines. We break our promises, loose confidence in others, forget about a once-drafted plans. Prayer becomes very hard. Attending christian fellowships and gatherings seems over burdensome. Our quiet time dwindles and the devil whispers continually, you are impossible to change. Unfortunately, we get get back on the road, we said we would never be.

Is Self-Control an impossible goal?

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope— the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14

Did you just read that we can live a "self-controlled, upright and godly lives"? Sure! When? "In this present age". But How? By "The grace of God ", such that we are eager to do what is good. For whom? "A people, redeemed and purified for Jesus Christ, Himself"

God isn't in the business of setting impossible targets for His people, that would make Him unjust and unfair, and we know from His self-revelation in the Bible that God is absolutely just and fair by nature. As we take-on a new year with the line of new commitments, please take out time to pray through and ask for the help of the greatest Teacher of self-control, the Holy Spirit, "The Grace of God". He is the personal teacher of every one that have declared Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are in training and learning, sometimes by making mistakes of course but self-control is not an impossible goal, but rather a godly skill that we can learn throughout our Christian lives as we rely on the grace of God. It’s a skill that will finally be perfected in us on the last day, when we see Jesus and are made like him.

Prayer for Day 2: Heavenly Father, I ask that you give me "The Grace of God" to teach me to say "No" to fleshy desires and to live a fruitful and self controlled life for your glory and until you return in glory.