My word for 2010

I came across the idea of choosing a word at the beginning of each year, something to pray about, focus on and grow in specifically that year. It took me a while to come to one, not because there were few things that came to mind, but because there were so many possibilities. For 2010 I have chosen self-control. This was not the first word I came up with because I never thought of myself as having a particular difficulty with it (with the exception of chocolate. :) But after doing some reading I discovered that the areas I had in mind are actually self-control issues. Jerry Bridges, in his book, The Practice of Godliness, gives this definition: "Self-contol is the exercise of inner strength under the direction of sound judgment that enables us to do, think, and say things that are pleasing to God." So self-control is two things: sound judgment (based on a knowledge of God's word) and inner strength (God's work in us.) He writes that both are necessary for Spirit-directed self-control. Here's the part that particularly convicted me, "Self-control involves a much wider range of watchfulness than merely the control of our bodily appetites and desires. We also must exercise self-control of thoughts, emotions and speech. There is a form of self-control that says yes to what we should do as well as that which says no to what we shouldn't do."


Galations 5: 22-25 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And thos who are Chirst's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Proverbs 25:28 "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls."


Proverbs 16:32 "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Psalm 39:1 "I said I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue."