Cultivating self-control in our children

There are just certain mornings when I can tell right out of the gate that one of my boys is ready for battle. I know that on this kind of day, I will find myself saying, “Son, ask Jesus to give you a spirit of self-control,” more often than I want to count.

In 2 Timothy 1:7 we are reminded that the Spirit God gives us is one of “power, love and self-discipline.” The key word is gives. He gives, and we take hold. When we take hold of the spirit of self- discipline, or self-control, we restrain ourselves from saying or doing something that may make us feel better in the short-term but isn’t for our, or anyone else’s, long-term benefit.

At this chaotic stage in our lives, with three boys under 10, I have to daily remind myself to take hold of this spirit of self-control. When the boys are wreaking havoc, I must remember that when I lose my self-control and I don’t treat our children with respect, I essentially teach them to do the same.

Knowing they are watching and learning from me can feel like a HUGE responsibility - a responsibility I rarely feel equipped to carry.

But friends, thank God for grace, that isn't the end of the story………..  For the Good News keep reading this article at The MOB Society.