Just something I heard on the radio...

There are 3 main factors that constitute a person from the moment they are born to the moment that become a fully-fledged individual - socioeconomic status, IQ, and self-control. Quite obviously, the first factor plays into the amount of opportunities one has, the people that a person will grow up around, etc. The second factor (IQ) is something that really sets people apart, being as, regardless of the amount of time or thought invested into something, people with high IQ's can be depended on to produce high-quality awesomeness with minimal effort. This, as well as the first factor, gives way to the opportunities one has at his/her disposal. However, central to the radio hosts' discussion was this whole concept of the third factor, self-control. People with full access to be "great" via an abundance of the first two factors are seen on the television as celebrities, etc. Nonetheless, the radio hosts argued that people without a grasp of the third factor, more often than not, failed to find any lasting source of happiness or meaning in their lives, and often found themselves on the extreme end of self-pleasure and self-enjoyment, sometimes resulting in drug addictions, depression, etc.

Personally, I lack a lot of self-control. My mentality is essentially, "I know what I want, what feels good, and what's best for me, so that's what I'm going to do." However, after so many years of following that game plan, I've really conjured up a hot mess. And cliche as it may seem, my greatest foe is myself. To clarify, I have lost a significant amount of control over my life, and find it hard to do what I actually want and find best for me. My desires have taken over and direct me in a way that temporarily, yet consistently, satisfies my senses, leaving me empty, abandoned, and dissatisfied afterwards.

Though I "know" that I don't know what's best for me, I can't seem to do what I want - follow Jesus. More than self-control, I want to surrender my control over to You, God. Holy Spirit, help me out here. Counsel me, teach me, renew me, and have Your way.