Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Power...who has it?

When I search for the definition of power on Google this is what comes up...

1.The ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality
2. The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.

So my question is...who or what has the power?  Or more directly...who or what has the power over me?  My behaviors, my actions, my thoughts...?

Automatically when I ask myself that question I answer, "Me! Of course."  but then do I really...?  I mean, if I lose my temper who has the power there?  It's not me, I don't have anything.  I just lost it, remember?  What if I eat an entire sleeve of girl scout cookies?  I've lost all power over my mouth.  

*the previous statement is partially true. I did share with my girls and my husband so I didn't eat the "entire sleeve" it just felt like it* 

What if I crash on the couch and watch Netflix for 5 hours and get nothing done around my house?  

Even though I'm under the illusion that I have all power over my actions, my mouth, and my mind if you look at how I act sometimes...I really don't. I give myself to things that are not going to get me to where I want to be.   

We all have things that trip us up.  I have begun to see my stumbling blocks more clearly once I started answering that question more honestly.  Sometimes I miss the fall and others I fall flat on my face and stay there for about 2 or 3 days...or even longer.  I've had months where I kept falling and staying down, then getting back up and falling again just 2 seconds after I stood up.  It's absolutely exhausting at times. 


Being a believer in Jesus though, His word says, "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV 


Does that make anyone else cringe from conviction about letting ourselves do whatever, whenever, and however we want?...or is that just me?  

We are not perfect of course, but clearly as believers God's Spirit has given us power.  I guess the question then needs to be, "Who or what am I willing to give that power to?"

When I lose my self-discipline and eat about half of a sleeve of girl scout cookies I am giving my power to my body which is feeble at best and fading with each passing day.  Or when I'm losing my temper I'm giving my power to what or whomever I'm angry at.  Which can be anything from my computer because it didn't do something right (operator error most likely) or to my family that are simply trying to get through the day like I am...and now because I blew my top suffer because of my lack of power over my temper.    

My decisions I make of what I'm spending my time on, what I'm eating, what I'm listening to, what I'm watching, what I'm saying out loud to others and to myself are all going to do something.  Sometimes that something is an immediate gratification of, "Man, those cookies were delicious!", then the scale at home goes from 153 to 155.  Or those decisions are going to yield something good for me or my family.  Maybe it's the difference of yelling at my children to listen or taking a moment to see they are struggling and need my love.  Or the decision to not watch TV and get my laundry done so me and my family can have clean underwear.

I can decide to give my power to something that will help me or hinder me. Help my family or hinder my family.  Help my mind, and body, or hinder my mind and body.

I've got the power! Did anyone else start singing that 90's dance tune?  LOLOL!

Decide to use your power to do the things that will honor God, your family, and yourself.


XO,
Shelon


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