Jesus Is Self-Controlled

  New Year’s Resolutions. Love or hate them, you can’t get through the Christmas period without having at least one discussion of the goals you and your friends have for the year to come. Whether it’s to eat clean, spend less, rest more or even dig a little deeper into your bible, they all have a terrible habit of falling flat. Even those with the best intentions often end up quietly pushed aside by the end of January, as life follows its normal routine. But why is this? These goals are clearly important to us, so why do we so often put them off? There’s probably many reasons for why, but there’s one big one we often struggle to talk about: self-control. The topic of self-control can make us feel uncomfortable because it makes us acknowledge our own imperfections. It makes us realise that despite our best intentions, we can often be sabotaged by our own contradicting desires. So when temptation comes along, whatever that looks like, we can so often get enticed by that instant gratification rather than taking the long road. Shame, a fear of failure, or perhaps just a reluctance to ‘just do the right thing’ can mean we try to deal with it on our own rather than letting God and other people in. We tell ourselves that they won’t get it, that God doesn’t get it, that it’s just too much work. But here’s the thing. Jesus gets it. Matthew tells us that before Jesus called his disciples, before he gave the Sermon on the Mount, he went into the desert to be tempted. He was offered that instant gratification, the easy way out when faced with a difficult situation, but still he stood firm. So how did Jesus deal with the temptation? He dug into scripture. He overcame the lies and temptation surrounding him by fixing his eyes on the truth of scripture. The promises God had made were enough of a reminder that there was a better way of doing things. And we can do the same. We’re told that nothing is impossible with God, and that’s a promise we have to hold firm to. Hebrews 4: 15-16: “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” No matter how hard it may feel, self-control is possible. By keeping our eyes fixed on God, we can see past our current situation and understand that there’s more than one way of dealing with it. It’s not always going to be easy, but it is ALWAYS going to be possible. Throw off the shame and the fear of failure and run to God knowing he accepts you. He’s not asking us to develop self-control instantly or to ‘fix’ ourselves overnight. He’s asking us to humbly seek him, boldly stepping out in a strength that can only be provided through choosing to listen to the truth he speaks over us. So take a deep breath, turn to Jesus, and choose honesty. Let him fill you with a truth that is more pervasive than any temptation. Let him teach you the way to self-control, and remind you of his grace that will always, always catch us.