active

self control seems to be something that is lacking in today's culture. looking around at society, we're told to indulge in whatever we want; as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, we are given the green light. drink if you want, just don't kill anyone driving drunk. have sex as much as you want, just don't give anyone std's. work at what you want, as long as you don't injure anyone in the process. just because we have the freedom to do something doesn't mean we ought to do it.

this is common sense: i have the ability to buy a gun and shoot someone, i have the ability to eat whatever i want and as much as i want, i have the ability to steal things from shops..the list could go on and on. self control is something that we use everyday; it is what keeps us, in a sense, from doing these things. yet self control is on the defensive. people today can't seem to restrain themselves and are now paying the consequences. the economy is in shambles because people couldn't control their spending habits, abortion is on the rise because couples couldn't learn when enough is enough, teenage drinking is at an all time high because we haven't learned to control ourselves.

i want to learn to control myself. to let God direct me, rather than my every impulse or whim. to be able to look ahead and see the consequences of my choices.
Proverbs 25:28

he is

just
merciful
faithful
loving
involved
concerned
forgiving
wisdom
incomprehensible
powerful
eternal
unchanging
available
instructing
unmatched
all-encompasing
everywhere
creative
generous
amazing
elohim
father
hope
friend
approachable
mysterious
in control

these are just some of the things that God has been through time; in my life and in the lives of others. it does not matter the situation or circumstances; he is all of these things eternally. each one of these holds individual significance and gives me more and more reason to trust Him.

Have some Heart

so i'm starting to learn that all of who we are comes down to the heart. the things that we find interesting, the types of people that intrigue us, the things that get under our skin. when someone cuts us off in traffic, we respond from our hearts. when we hear of or see tragedy oversees and feel empathy, that comes from the heart. all the things that we think hold some sort of value have root in our hearts. the things that our hearts hold to are the things that steer us through life.
so it's only natural that it's our hearts that God is after. not the emotion or the intellect but the heart.
He gives an idea of the kind of heart He's after in His word:
Luke 5:32 "I have come not for those who think they are righteous, but for those who know they are sinners and need to repent"-a humble heart
Luke 6:44-45 " A tree is identified by it's fruit..A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart."

we have to "guard our hearts, for it is the well spring of life" because the things that we hold to determine what type of "fruit tree" we will be. doing this on our own isn't an option because we are naturally bent toward evil. it is God who must do the changing. may it be so.