SELF CONTROL

www.verywellmind.com/ said the following:

“The ability to delay gratification, or to wait to get what you want, is an important part of self-control. People are often able to control their behavior by delaying the gratification of their urges.

Delaying gratification involves putting off short-term desires in favor of long-term rewards. Researchers have found that the ability to delay gratification is important not only for attaining goals but also for well-being and overall success in life.

The "Hot-and-Cool" System
Based on his research, Walter Mischel proposed what he referred to as a "hot-and-cool" system to explain the ability to delay gratification. The hot system refers to the part of our willpower that is emotional, impulsive, and urges us to act upon our desires. When this system takes over, we may give in to our momentary desires and act rashly without considering the potential long-term effects.8

The cool system is the part of our willpower that is rational, thoughtful, and enables us to consider the consequences of our actions in order to resist our impulses. The cool system helps us look for ways to distract us from our urges and find more appropriate ways to deal with our desires.

Recap

The ability to delay gratification is linked to a number of benefits including better goal attainment and positive life outcomes. Finding ways to distract yourself from temptation can help you strengthen your ability to delay gratification.”

A great habit to work on is to think in a slow, cool, rational way.

Key Point: Never let short-term bad decisions ruin your week and month. Say: I will have self-control and have a great week and a great month.

Pray: “Father, show me the consequences of my decisions.

Pray: “Father, help me to think long-term with my decisions.”

You probably have more self-control than you think. The problem is, we get tired or frustrated and in that condition, we think in a poor manner. But, if you are a Christian, you can get a lot of assistance. Simply develop the habit of studying scripture when temptation arises. This habit invites the Holy Spirit to give us direct assistance with our decisions.

 

Self-control is one of the gifts of the Spirit. The problem is... we need to get more of the Spirit in us. Spending time in prayer is a good way to increase the Spirit in us. Reading Scripture is even better, and studying Scripture is better yet, and doing what the Scripture says is really a powerhouse increase.

Consider studying and praying over the great verses. Study, pray, and analyze how to understand, love, and do what the scripture says to do.

Many people pray for 15 minutes daily, asking God to do this, that, and the other thing for them. But if you really want answers to those prayers...

Instead, start doing what these verses say to do. Or, start praying to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that He can show you what He wants you to do. Then increase a focus on obedience. Then you will start to see prayers answered more rapidly.


You will see a powerful increase in your Self-control when you do these things. You can use this increase as motivation that you can quit a lust addiction for good.

Realize that it is rarely an instant fix to gain self-control over lust. We want to solve a problem we made stronger and stronger for 19 years in 19 hours. Instead, realize that you likely have to dig up more and more roots that go in all kinds of directions while you at the same time get more and more scripture in.

But you will have a powerful experience even today if you dig into scripture. Then you can use that strength to realize. God is real. He does help us. He wants to help us.

Today, consider praying about what God wants.

“Father, show me what You want me to do.”

When we spend 15 minutes praying about what God wants, plus time in the all-powerful Word of God, darkness starts to leave, and the Spirit fills us more and more.

 

Planning and understanding are keys to self-control.

Planning

How complete is your plan to turn from lust? Do you have a foolproof plan to immediately dig into the verses for quitting if temptation starts to overwhelm you? Do you have a plan to reverse the effect of negative emotions, if they are about to sink you?

Self-control involves understanding. Wisdom wants long-term joy, satan will tempt you with short-term pleasure. Wisdom wants peace, and love, satan will tempt you with power and lust. Wisdom insists on thinking, obeying, then acting, satan wants you to “want, then act.” Wisdom wants to know what God's will is, satan wants you to “get what you want with no thought of consequences.”

Plan – understand – succeed.

For the full article https://forum.nofap.com/index.php?threads/self-control.329442/