Copyright 2012: singeronthesand
...Make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control.
2 Peter 1:5-6a
The Christian Church is now in the time of Lent - the 40 day period prior to the crucifixion/resurrection. In many Christian communities, people regularly "give up" something for this month-plus period - supposedly something that they really like as opposed to giving up something they don't care for in the first place. Friends of mine have given up chocolate, pastries, desserts in general, various forms of food, various forms of sports, swearing and shopping. One of my friends even proposed to give up television for Lent. When an acquaintance proposed giving up reading for forty days, I just had to laugh. I would never be able to do that!
Which brings up the subject of cheating. Giving up anything that is a regular habit or ingrained part of your life is very difficult to do. Hence we human beings come up with ever more sophisticated ways to cheat. One woman, having given up chocolate for Lent, was discovered by her children drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Her explanation? She had given up coagulated chocolate (i.e., chocolate candy); liquid and powder forms were still ok.
I, who am gluten intolerant, have struggled my entire life with "giving up" bread, pasta, pastries, pies, cakes, muffins, biscuits - anything made with wheat - and constantly falling victim to "no one will ever know" and "just this once won't hurt." If I were to rate my self-control in food situations on a scale from 1-10, I would have to give myself about a 3, and that is probably being very generous. Now that I am older, however, my health has become far more precious than in my younger years, and I have determined to use what self-control I have to stop cheating. How? By turning over my self-control to the One who already knows all my schemes. In the words of the little song:
Which brings up the subject of cheating. Giving up anything that is a regular habit or ingrained part of your life is very difficult to do. Hence we human beings come up with ever more sophisticated ways to cheat. One woman, having given up chocolate for Lent, was discovered by her children drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Her explanation? She had given up coagulated chocolate (i.e., chocolate candy); liquid and powder forms were still ok.
I, who am gluten intolerant, have struggled my entire life with "giving up" bread, pasta, pastries, pies, cakes, muffins, biscuits - anything made with wheat - and constantly falling victim to "no one will ever know" and "just this once won't hurt." If I were to rate my self-control in food situations on a scale from 1-10, I would have to give myself about a 3, and that is probably being very generous. Now that I am older, however, my health has become far more precious than in my younger years, and I have determined to use what self-control I have to stop cheating. How? By turning over my self-control to the One who already knows all my schemes. In the words of the little song:
Take my will and make it Thine
It shall be no longer mine.
Back in December, I asked God to take over my decisions regarding eating - not for 40 days, but for the rest of my life. My self-control on its own fails time and time again. Prayerfully, with God's help, I will leave behind that bad habit and forge a new habit of determined healthfulness.
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