Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Self-control on today of all days :)



Do I dare post on election day? If you're like me then you're ready to read something else. I am the type who never intends to but ends up reading reading reading every article and eventually my mental energy is completely wiped out.

We have access to SO much information in this day in age. While such a gift it can also be such a curse. I'm listening to an audio book called Crazy Busy (so far really good!) and I was so intrigued by his point that due to so many technological advances humans are able to physically do more than ever before. When natural light would stop people from working we can work all night if we want. We have access to almost anything we want to know. The clear down side of this is we are more exhausted, drained and mentally absent than every before also. There's a point where you have to just shut it off and say "I'm done" before your mind is fried. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had actual physical symptoms from spending too much time on my phone or the tv. My eyes hurt so my head kinda hurts and I feel super "weird and off". But just like controlling the amount of sugar you eat just cause you should - limiting our input time is really difficult because I think it's unintentionally spent a lot of the time. Few of us sit down and say "I'm going to spend 45 minutes reading this article then reading the comments then reading another and so on".

I can't speak from the working mom's perspective, but from the stay at home mom side it's an even greater challenge because being connected to something/someone on social media makes us feel like we're engaging with other adults during the day! There's nothing wrong with this obviously, but to say I haven't ever felt the effects of my time getting sucked up in that would be a lie. I often lack the self control to put it away and be productive or just sit and play with my kids. I need to work on that badly.

This is kind of all coming to my mind today because it's easy to read and soak in everything we watch, read and see on days like today. It's hard to be a peace with just saying "that's enough" and diverting our attention elsewhere.

Anyways, short and sweet. You won't miss out on much if you choose to put your phone away! This is what I tell myself.

And here are some verses to encourage you......or maybe challenge you! Let's use self-control for our own bodies sake, and self-control and love with our tongue (or maybe quick typing fingers) for others sake! God is not up there wringing his hands freaking out about who our next President will be. I know he cares, but he is the ruler of all and that gives my heart peace. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations (Psalm 22:28 ESV).

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. JAMES 1:19

Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control. PROVERBS 25:28


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