Who Is In Control?:
A Spirit of Self-discipline – Part 1
Scripture Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-12
Key Verse: 2 Timothy 1:7
They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Soft addictions fall into the category of self-esteem diminishers. We know they are not particularly sinful behavior, but something inside us also knows it doesn’t feel good in the long run. You know you have a soft addiction when you realize you don’t like telling others how much time you spend on them. In fact, you try to not let yourself think too much about these time wasters as well.
The problem with soft addictions is that they hurt your own opinion of yourself. At first we tend to justify our habit and tell ourselves everyone has some demons they fight, but God is a quiet voice that consistently pushes us to be better. He doesn’t want us to settle for these patterns that diminish our self-esteem. Jesus came to give us life and life more abundant. The Apostle John recorded Jesus’ words: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Soft addictions make you feel out of control. One expert said that soft addictions start out soothing us, but start bothering us after a while. When we feel embarrassed by our behavior we know we’ve crossed over into a soft addiction. Watching too much TV or surfing for hours on the internet doesn’t result in “life to the full”!
Father, I need your strength to face the habits that have become strongholds in my life. I receive it in Jesus’ Name, Amen.