Bring balance to your life with self control

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self control.”

— Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

As the doorbell rang, my friend ran to answer it. “Another package,” I asked?

“Yes. I try to resist the urge to shop, but I just can’t help myself,” my friend replied.

All of us face temptations and can be out of control in some area of our lives.

We can’t resist the impulse to buy something we don’t need. Oftentimes, we can serve others too much. We can overwork, talk too much, and be overly opinionated. We can overexercise. Yes, even too much of a good thing is extreme. We must all work, sleep, eat, spend etc., but when we overdo it, we are headed down a path of destruction that depletes our energy and diminishes our savings, productivity, relationships and true enjoyment of life.

The good news is we can break free of extreme behaviors through the use of self-control. Self-control is a spiritual attribute we possess. It’s not mere willpower. It’s God’s power within us to control our mind, will and emotions. It’s not something we lack — we just lack the use of it.

A self under control takes responsibility for their own actions and doesn’t place the blame on others. Self-control helps us make decisions about money, time, relationships etc. based on practical principles we can learn rather than following our feelings.

Practicing the use of a controlled life helps us feel more powerful as we overcome destructive obstacles.

But be aware: oftentimes, when trying to balance out our extremes, the devil of temptation can tempt us to go too far in the opposite direction. When that happens, we have to adjust and come back into the middle where we find balance.

There may also be times we may need the help of medication or counseling. But even in the difficult cases such as these, we still need to us some self-control.

Life is a constant balancing act. It’s not always easy or a quick fix, but as we practice using self-control and ask for God’s help we can develop our greatest potential to succeed and live a life of joy.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.