Self-Control in All Things

25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; 27 but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27

We’re all running in a race and have different goals and purposes for running. For what are you running? What is your prize at the end of the race? Are you running for money? Status? Recognition? Are you running for others? As Christians, we shouldn’t run aimlessly. While people of the world run for a “perishable wreath,” we run for the imperishable. We run to become one with God. We run to hear at the end of our race God saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Now, to run this race, we must discipline our bodies and enslave them. With this goal in mind, we must add and subtract to make ourselves the fittest to run the race. What is holding you down when you should be on an all-out sprint to the finish line? Is it your job? A character flaw? A particular person or relationship? Figure it out and unload it to make yourself faster, to make sure you’re not running aimlessly. Repent what is wrong! In other words, to run this race successfully, you must exercise self-control in all things. You must go into strict training!

Think about it. To win a gold medal or become a champion, you have every second of your life regulated. How you sleep, what you eat, how to exercise… every second of your life is designed to achieve one goal: to win. Winning a gold medal might seem like a big deal, but we’re running and training to a crown that last forever! We’re in strict training to become one with God! This is a much bigger deal! So, we must exercise self-control.

First, we must exercise self-control when it comes to sleep. I’ve tried for years to sleep at 8 pm and get up and 3 am, but I haven’t been able to do it. Why? It requires an incredible amount of self-control, and it means planning and regulating your entire day to meet that goal. It’s hard to do, but we need to exercise self-control regarding sleep. Go to bed early. Sleep enough hours. Go to dawn prayer. To win this race, we must exercise self-control regarding our sleeping habits.

Second, we must exercise self-control when it comes to eating. We can’t just eat what tastes good or eat whenever we feel like it. We need to sleep and eat to bring us closer to God and run the race better. We exercise self-control when it comes to eating. Choose the right kinds of food, don’t eat in excess, and eat at a set, designated time. Whatever form it takes for you, exercise self-control regarding food.

Third, we must exercise self-control when it comes to clothing. As for me, I’ve decided to wear strictly black and white. I’m not going to let colors or fashion distract me from running the race. In whatever shape it takes, examine your relationship to clothes and exercise self-control. Do what you have to do to avoid running aimlessly!

I’ve gone over three things we can exercise self-control, and here are some more things we can examine.

Sleep
Eating
Clothing
Where you live
Where you work
Where you rest
How you talk
Where your interests lie
What you think about
Your actions
How you play
Who your friends are
What you read
Entertainment
Hobbies
Exercise
Time
Where you exert energy
What you see
What you listen to
What you write
What you study
Desires
What you are afraid of
What you laugh at
What you get angry at
What you get sad about
Being audacious
What you feel secure about
What you work hard at

We are all in strict training. We are all running to get a crown that will last forever. So we must be careful not to run aimlessly but show self-control in all things. Now is not the time to be lazy, be in a rut, or be satisfied with the status quo. Examine every part of your life and show self-control in every part. When was the last time you got up at dawn and prayed to God? Do you not have enough self-control to get up and overcome the desire to sleep? Now is the time for self-control. Now is the time to be diligent, hard-working, and steadfast in the right things. For too long, we’ve been running the wrong race.

Click for Korean sermon https://soundcloud.com/yhpaik/1988-1-27-long