Spiritual Growth - Trust Fall SeriesSample

 Self-control and Endurance

In the first chapter of his second letter, Peter gave us several characteristics that we are to add to our faith in Jesus Christ. The first two were goodness – that is our moral excellence, and knowledge – which is living out what we know. (2 Peter 1:5)

The next attribute Peter gives us to add to our faith is self-control. Self-control can be defined as not giving in. (2 Peter 1:6)

Sometimes this applies to sin. We have a choice between sin and holiness and we say, “I am not going to give in to that sin.” Sometimes this doesn’t involve righteousness and sinfulness.

We don’t need to have “queso” or dessert at every meal. Maybe it’s about accepting the fact that the alarm clock goes off and I have to get up. Or that I have to go to bed on time.

You and I were made for much more than just to feed our natural cravings. So don’t give in to “I am just going to eat like a crazy person. I am just going to sleep.” Because a lack of self-control is going to get you in the end.

The next thing Peter mentions is endurance. (2 Peter 1:6) Watch how these two tie together. Self-control is not giving in, Endurance is not giving up. Those who spend their lives giving in will ultimately be those that give up. The more you give in when it comes to small things, the easier it is to give up when things get hard. (Hebrews 12:1)

We are going to encounter many problems in our lives – sickness, mean people, a bad investment, a wrong decision. That’s just how life goes. We don’t know how God is going to work us through it, but we do need to not give up. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

We want to be people that are walking with God in such a way that we are saying, “Lord, we want You to refine our desires. Instead of those worldly, fleshly things my neurons say I need right now, what is my heart saying? What do I really need in my soul? What am I really looking for?” One man put it like this: “When a man knocks on the door of a brothel, he is knocking for God.” It means that what he is really looking for is not illicit sex; what he is looking for is a soulful touch in a wrongful way.

So if we don’t give in, then we are going to have a better chance of not giving up. Don’t give up. Hang in there. You never know what God has for you.