Self-Control – Your Best Life Empowered

Okay, so you want to know how to live your best life possible. You want to know the way to the Promised Land – to them streets paved with gold where love, joy and peace reign and there is no more sorrow, pain or suffering. You want a map to your best life empowered. Well, unfortunately you cannot get there just any old way. No, contrary to popular opinion and new age philosophy all roads do not lead to the same glorious end. Jesus made it clear that wide is the highway that leads to destruction but narrow the path that leads to life—the abundant life, your best life empowered.

In order to get to the place where milk and honey flow, you have to negotiate some very specific thoroughfares. Of the small combinations of streets which lead to your best life empowered, nine are compulsory. Each of the boulevards is aptly named and quickly reminds us the way will not be easy. Some of the labels include: Diligence, Faith, Integrity, Knowledge, Perseverance, Consecration, Kindness, and Love.

There is one road in particular which seems to be more harrowing than the others. It is a path that cannot be avoided; it must be traversed. You will find it at the middle of the nine essential streets, connecting the first four (Diligence, Faith, Integrity and Knowledge) with the last four (Perseverance, Consecration, Kindness and Love). It is at this place that your best life determined can and often does become your best life derailed.

This avenue is called Self-Control.

Christian author Chuck Colson described the vexing scene as an alley way lined with row houses, cul-de-sacs and narrow lanes leading away from your ultimate life. Outside each building and thoroughfare are bright lights and finely clad ladies and gents calling your name; promising fun, fame and fortune. Yet, for those who choose to venture in, the outcome is often destruction and despair, even death.

Sadly at one time or another, and perhaps even more times than not, we have all been seduced and led inside Club Temptation and or drawn down the street of Instant Gratification. It is a good bet that most if not all have some skeletons in the closet making them feel guilty and ashamed, unworthy of a better life. Weakened by the thought of your past failures, you think you do not deserve your best life dreamed. This is a lie! Yesterday is gone; today is a new day. You were designed to live life to the full and no matter what you have done it is never too late to live your best life empowered. Learning to practice self-control is the highway that will lead you there.

Self-control means having the discipline to say no to attractive but incompatible alternatives. The world is rife with temptations for instant gratification and or self-promotion. While rest and relaxation are important to any balanced lifestyle, you must be willing to reject any activity or action that will derail or disqualify you from attaining your very best. Self-control is the power to narrow your focus to the essential ingredients of life. Practicing self-control will lead to your best life empowered.