To Love Deeply You Need Self-Control (Among Other Things)

via Nicole Joelle Prints

So lately I feel very much challenged to grow up in my faith.  I feel particularly challenged because I want the same thing for my kids and in order to be able to help them grow, I need to be continually challenging myself and growing too!  The verses that spoke to me from this weeks reading that really spoke to me come from 2 Peter chapter 1:

^“5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶ and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷ and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.”

I need to add to my faith!  In 1 Peter 4:8 we are challenged to love each other deeply.  I think that in order to do so, I need those things listed in 2 Peter- goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.  Lately I have felt a particular challenge to grow in the area of self control.  Why?  Because I’m trying to teach it to my 3 1/2 year old.  He’s an emotional guy like me, which is awesome in that we both have a great capacity for empathy and are passionate.  But it’s also a challenge in that we don’t always handle our emotions well.  In trying to teach him not to “lose it” when he’s upset by a situation, I’ve been challenged to do the same.

As a mama sometimes I don’t have the best reaction to when things go wrong or someone doesn’t obey.  I’m learning that while I cannot control my son’s behavior, I can control my reaction to his behavior.  And I know that a calm reaction is much better than a crazy emotional one.  By modeling self control to my son I know that it will help him to learn it for himself.  It will also help me to think more clearly and respond in a more loving way.  This is difficult for me, but it’s something that God has really been working on in my heart.  To remind myself of this I bought the awesome print you see above to remind me of the importance of my words, particularly toward my children.  Even when correcting them, I can be kind and in control, all with the help of Jesus.

If you’d like to join along in reading through the Bible in 3 years you can find the schedule over at Women Living Well. Tomorrow’s reading is 1 John chapter 3. We’re doing one chapter a day. This is the month’s reading plan:

I hope you all have a great weekend! I’ll be back next week to share my thought’s on the week’s readings.

Cat

Cat is a teacher turned stay-at-home mom of two boys.  She shares crafts, DIY projects, kids’ activities, and a little bit about life in Ohio.  Learn more about her and the blog on the About page.