Secrets of self-control (2)

2018-03-01
Romans 14:4 NLT

Put your past behind you. “[This] one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining forward toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:13 NIV). This Scripture exposes a misconception that will keep you from gaining self-control: Once a failure, always a failure! You may say, “Oh, I tried to quit my bad habit. In fact, I have tried over and over. I guess I’ll never be able to get control of this.” That is a misconception. Paul says, “We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going” (2 Corinthians 4:9 TLB). Have you watched a baby learning to walk? They fall down a lot, but they don’t stay down. They keep on trying, and ultimately they succeed. How far do you think they’d get if they just gave up and said, “Some people were meant to be walkers, and some were not”? Failure in the past does not mean that you will never be able to change. But focusing on past failures, however, does guarantee their repetition. It is like driving a car while looking in the rear-view mirror. You’re going to collide with what’s ahead of you. You have to put your past behind you. No one had more failures than Thomas Edison. Most of us would have given up, but not him. He once said, “Don’t call it a failure, call it an education! Now I know what doesn’t work!” When you realize sin doesn’t work, it’s a defining moment and your springboard to victory. A winner is simply someone who gets back up one more time than they fall down. So the word for you today is: “With the Lord’s help, [you] will stand.”

Soul food: 1 Kings 16:1-18:15; Matt 19:1-14; Ps 61; Prov 6:16-19

Geheime vir selfbeheersing (2)


Romeine 14:4 NLV

Sit die verlede agter jou. ‘…een ding is seker: ek vergeet dit wat agter my lê, en strek my uit na dit wat voorlê’ (Filippense 3:13 NLV). Hierdie Skrifgedeelte ontbloot ‘n algemene wanopvatting wat jou daarvan weerhou om selfbeheersing te kry: Een keer ‘n mislukking, altyd ‘n mislukking! Jy mag dalk sê, ‘Ag, ek het probeer om my slegte gewoonte te breek. Ek gaan seker maar nooit beheer daaroor kry nie.’ Dit is ‘n wanopvatting. Paulus sê, ‘…Ek word onderstebo geloop, maar ek staan elke keer weer op’ (2 Korintiërs 4:9 DB). Het jy al ooit ‘n baba wat leer loop dopgehou? Hulle val baie, maar hulle hou aan probeer en is uiteindelik suksesvol. Hoe ver dink jy sou hulle kom as hulle net opgegee het en gesê het, ‘Sommige mense is net nie bedoel om te kan loop nie’? Mislukking in die verlede beteken nie dat jy nooit sal kan verander nie. Om egter op mislukkings in die verlede te fokus, waarborg dat jy hulle sal herhaal. Dis soos om ‘n kar te bestuur terwyl jy in die truspieëltjie kyk. Jy gaan bots met wat ook al voor jou is. Jy moet jou verlede agter jou sit. Niemand het meer mislukkings as Thomas Edison ervaar nie. Die meeste van ons sou tou opgegooi het, maar nie hy nie. Hy het een keer gesê, ‘Moet dit nie ‘n mislukking noem nie, noem dit ‘n leerskool! Nou weet ek wat nie werk nie!’ Wanneer jy besef dat sonde nie werk nie, is dit ‘n beslissende oomblik en ‘n springplank na oorwinning. ‘n Wenner is eenvoudig iemand wat een keer meer opstaan as wat hulle val. Die woord vir jou vandag is dus: ‘…[Jy] sal ook die toets slaag – daarvoor sal ons Here in sy almag sorg.’

Sielskos: 1 Kon 16:1-18:15; Matt 19:1-14; Ps 61; Spr 6:16-19