Sin, Self Control and Greater Satisfaction in God

Adding sugar to my coffee is a sin.

I’ve had 24 hours to prepare for not using sugar in my morning coffee. It’s about 11:30 AM and I’ve succeeded… today.

As I wrote yesterday, I’m convinced that sugar is absolutely no good for my body or my health. Since the Holy Spirit resides in me, and my body is God’s temple, I’m not caring properly for his temple when I add sugar to my coffee. For me, adding sugar to my coffee is a sin (the blog post).

Daily Morning Routine

This has been my typical morning routine for years. I wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth and head downstairs. I then walk straight to the coffee pot and prepare coffee. I enjoy a dark Starbucks blend. Once the coffee is brewed, I pour about a cup and a half into a favorite mug. In goes about 1 1/2 heaping tablespoons of sugar and enough half and half to give it a creamy brown color. I’ll take a sip to be sure it’s sweet enough for my taste. If it’s not quite sweet enough, I’ll add some more sugar. I’ll often nuke it for 30 seconds in the microwave so that the coffee is a little hotter. Then I settle into a recliner with my devotional material… and my mug of coffee. After I complete my devotionals and quiet time with God, and send out a few affirmations on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, I’ll make some breakfast and then get on with my day.

As I pause here before I continue writing, I’ve taken a sip of lukewarm coffee, with half and half and no sugar. The taste is not at all appealing to me.

Scripture About Self Control and Caring for God’s Temple

Since I wrote yesterday’s post, I reflected on some scripture that are relevant and may be helpful in my desire to better honor God with how I care for his temple, my body.

^“I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should…” 1 Corinthians 9:27

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” Galatians 5:22-23

“… you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15

I have a responsibility to care for my body as God’s temple… it’s where the Holy Spirit lives. The principle of ‘glorifying God in my body’ is a biblical principle that I desire to embrace. So, for me, it’s like a commandment.

I also desire to care for his temple because Jesus gave his very life on the cross so I can be free from the power of sin and have eternal life. He paid a high price for me. I desire to care for the temple that houses the Spirit that he sent to empower and guide me to live the eternal life that he’s afforded me.

Knowing this in my mind is one thing. Getting it deep into my heart is another thing.

“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.”
Matthews 15:18

As with words, when my actions are not honoring to God they stem from a heart that is not pure in some manner. My heart must love Jesus, at an even deeper level, because of what he has done for me. I must push out more selfishness and become surrendered to God at a deeper level.

When we fail to control ourselves – our feelings, our appetites, our drives – then they will tend to control us. I must choose to have self-control under the grace and power of the Holy Spirit or to be controlled by my lust for the taste of sugar.

Finally, I must also learn to become even more satisfied by God.