Most of us have certain areas in our life that we struggle to
keep under control. For some of us, it’s our temper.
Most of us have certain areas in our life that we struggle to keep under control. For some of us, it’s our temper. One lady commented, “My husband is so temperamental … 90 percent temper and 10 percent mental!” For others, it’s our spending we struggle to control. We identify with the bumper sticker that said, “the person who says money can’t buy happiness just doesn’t know where to shop.” Some of us wrestle with controlling our weight, or our moods, or our drinking, or our sexual desires, or our laziness, or our bad habits.
We want to control negative areas in our lives, but we often fail. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 7:15-18, makes a confession many of us can relate to. He says, “My own behavior baffles me. For I find myself doing what I really hate, but not doing what I really want to do! I often find that I have the will to do good, but not the power. I don’t accomplish the good I set out to do, and the evil I don’t really want to do, I find I am always doing!” That sounds like something I would say. I often feel like there’s a civil war going on inside me, a clash between Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde. Jesus said it this way in Mark 14:38, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Can you relate to that? Ever broke a bad habit, only to be back doing it in a few weeks? We say, “I’m going to quit … soon … real soon … this will be my last cigarette … my last drink … the last time I lose my temper. We make all kinds of resolutions. But the problem with resolutions is that they don’t work! We make them, then break them. Did you make any at New Years? How long did you keep them?
Breaking resolutions has three effects. The first is confusion. We ask ourselves, “Why am I not in control? Why am I still doing what I know I shouldn’t be doing? Then confusion leads to frustration. Ever been on a diet? We start with the conviction that, “today’s the day, I’m going to start this diet and stay on it; I’ll eat a healthy, balanced diet.” But what happens? Soon our resolution slips and our idea of balanced diet is a Big Mac in each hand. Then our frustration leads to discouragement. We realize we have the desire to stop, but not the power. How many times have you promised yourself, “I’ll never do that again,” only to be back doing it in a few hours? So we get discouraged and feel defeated by our inability to change.
If you’ve ever felt this way, I have some good news for you: you can change … the power is there. Listen to God’s promise in John 8:32, where Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Note that God is not saying that the secret is willpower. Have you learned that willpower doesn’t work? The answer is not resolutions or gimmicks. Jesus said the way is by knowing the truth.
Now perhaps you’re asking, “how is that possible? How can knowing the truth change me?” The answer is found in one of the basic laws of how humans operate: The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act. If you’re acting depressed, it’s because you feel depressed, and you feel depressed because you are thinking depressing thoughts. Yet most of us work on our actions; we hope that by changing our behavior we will solve the problem, but it never does, because God says it starts with the way you think.
Here’s a simple fact all us need to grasp: Behind every self-defeating behavior is a lie that I am believing. But Jesus said that when you know the truth, you will be set free. Next week we’ll look at God’s prescription for freedom.
