Self-control is essential to being healthy in our mind, body, and soul. But it can easily be twisted into becoming an obsession for control.
Before I begin, can I take a moment to be transparent? This post is going to talk about diet; And I feel really uncomfortable talking about diet stuff. I am that annoying person who has always been able to eat whatever and not gain weight. Mostly I think this is because I am very active and run a lot, but it is also genetics and I cannot take credit for that. I acknowledge that I cannot relate to so many women who struggle with weight. But I do know the struggle to be healthy. And I definitely know the struggle of self-control. So let’s encourage one another, shall we?
Within a weeks time I ate a dozen doughnuts. I lost all control. First, I ate doughnuts from Krispy Kreme. Then I had some from a grocery store bakery. After that I fully indulged in several from a local bakery. Then I wrapped it up a few unexpected ones from Duck Doughnuts. It would have been wrong to pass those up.
If you know me, you know I love doughnuts. I like other deserts, don’t get me wrong; cake, brownies, ice cream…those may tempt me, but I won’t regret not eating them. But to pass up a doughnut takes a lot of… well, self-control. Self-control has been a very prominent theme in my life over the past 6 months. Except for that week that I lost control.
My need for self-control…
Six months ago I was diagnosed with SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth). Feel free to look up details if you want, but I will spare you of those for now. This is by no means a serious, life-threatening condition (although it can lead to more serious things if not managed). It is more of a nuisance, but it is a nuisance I would like to be rid of. The problem is how to get rid of it.
There is an antibiotic, but insurance won’t cover it, and it costs $1800. Yikes! There is a back up antibiotic, but insurance won’t cover that one either. And I won’t take the back up to the back up, so that leaves treating it naturally and with diet. This is all fine with me, I much prefer the natural route if at all possible.
The natural route includes a diet low in fermentable foods. This means no sugar, and no wheat. Those are the first to go in just about any diet, so no big surprise there. The surprise is that it also means eliminating onions, garlic, mushroom, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, avocado, apples, pears, mango, cherries, and about a hundred other of my favorite foods. What the heck was I suppose to eat???
For the first time in my life I had to have self-control with my diet. It was overwhelming, but I did it. I planned, I made adjustments, I found replacements, and I did it. For six months. And then… a dozen doughnuts.
So what went wrong?
I became discouraged. Even with eliminating all those things, it wasn’t enough. Symptoms would improve, and then worsen. Therefore, I eliminated more things. Still, I would experience improvement, then worsen. Finally, I said enough; I might as well eat what I want.
Then came the consequences. Not just the the symptoms of SIBO (although those were there too), but the crazy mood swings (my blood didn’t know what to do with all that sugar), and then getting sick (eating sugar lowers your immune system). My body went through the ringer last month.
Healthy in all ways…
Now I am back fighting to be healthy in mind, body and soul.
Mind
Self-control can easily be twisted into control. We feel powerful (and therefore prideful), knowing that we can exhibit so much control. For the first time in my life I could see why many women are sucked into the destructive world of eating disorders.
Self-control can easily be twisted into control. Click To Tweet
Body
We are to take care of our bodies, using them to honor God. We are not to honor our bodies. It is easy to become obsessive with health, always feeling like we have to do more to feel better. After all, the way we feel is always the thing we feel most. We need to be wise, and willing to learn, but be careful to not be consumed.
Soul
Practicing self-control is exhausting, especially if we try to do it with our own will power. But, hallelujah! We don’t have to do it on our own. It is promised to us. It is a fruit of the Spirit.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23, NLT
If we do indeed have the Spirit within us, then we have the ability to live with all those wonderful traits, including self-control.
Encouragement for self-control…
We all deal with self-control. Maybe it’s with food, maybe it’s with money, maybe it’s thoughts, or emotions. None us can escape the need for it, or the temptation to twist it into an idol. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit we can practice self-control in a healthy way.
In what ways do you need the help of the Holy Spirit for self-control?
If you have found this inspiring, share the encouragement…
I think all of us have those moments – important thing is that we don’t beat ourselves up about it
I quit eating added sugar a year ago because I wasn’t able to eat it with self-control. Dessert, really of any kind, would become my go-to: reward and comfort. But then it would turn to guilt and shame. I was allowing sugar to be above God. And as you said, the consequences were also mood swings and poor immune system. I didn’t HAVE to quit but for the sake of my mind, body, and especially soul, I needed to.
After my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he was told to lay off sugar. My dad said he would rather be happy and take his chances than to suffer maybe for nothing.
You got me at the picture of those sprinkle donuts! I went gluten-free 6 years ago and I miss donuts.
Self-control is hard, but I think involving God and asking Him to help us with it is the first step. I also think giving grace to yourselves and not beating ourselves up when we slip up is another important practice!
Oh bless you for seeking natural remedies. I too am walking through a chronic health condition. I say walking through because I don’t claim it as mine in the Name of Jesus! Anyway I can relate to the self control it takes to do what you need for your body at the same time not wanting to cave into the foods you love. Great post, pinned to share with our Living Our Priorities. Stopping by from By His Grace Bloggers.