Relationships Take Work Series! (Deny Thyself)

I started writing on relationships back in January (go here to read my other posts).  Every once in a while, I get an inspiration to write about something specific. Today I was reading chapter 6 of a blogger book read (Made to Crave) and thought the subject covered in this chapter also spoke to me about our relationships with our spouses. So I felt compelled to share this glint of wisdom.

❤ Self Control ❤

The book we are reading is about learning to crave a relationship with God, and in return, learn to crave less of the things of this world. It is a book about eating healthy and losing weight, but it is about so much more. In chapter 6, titled "Growing Closer to God," the author talks about acquiring self-control over those things that are "permissible, but not beneficial". This is definitely a difficult task, in reality an impossible task, if we try to do it on our own.

"Self-control is hard. We don't like to deny ourselves. 

We don't think it's necessary. We make excuses and declare,

"That's nice for you, but I could never give that up."(pg. 61)

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

❤ Denying self ❤

Marriage requires us to sacrifice our wants and desires for the benefit of our spouse. The same is true for losing weight! The only way to lose our selfish wants is to start with a relationship with God. It requires a daily effort to let the Holy Spirit direct us to make wise choices - whether it be our eating habits, our lifestyle choices, or our relationships with our spouse. This means "intentionally positioning our lives to experience God". He's not going to knock our doors down and force Himself upon us. We need to make the effort to put Him first each and every day! (Just like getting up to go to work, making time to make a healthy meal, or paying our bills.) There will surely be benefits to putting Him first, just like there are consequences to letting our own desires and cravings take precedence.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."

Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) 

O.k,, now that I have talked about it and the verses have been written out, I can in all honesty say, I'm weak. I haven't overcome these issues. There are days I fail miserably at them!! This past week wasn't easy! With Valentines Day coming up, it will be even tougher next week to have self-control and deny myself!  But praise be to God, I can go to Him for the strength to keep going....with His help!!

As you go through the week, remember to look at these verses and meditate on what the Lord wants for us to do, through Him!

 linking on over to these blog hops:

 Winsome Wednesday(My Daily Walk in His Grace)

Grace Cafe' (Reflections of His Grace)

 Made to Crave (Journey of Love)

Walk With Him Wednesdays (A Holy Experience)

Bless a Blogger Friday(Bible Love Notes)

also posting on my own: Page "Relationships Take Work" Series