Galatians 5:22-23 — But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Is there something that you struggle with that you just love, so much but you know that you’re enjoying it a little too much? I know I do.
For me, it has been ice cream. And no, I am not pregnant. It has just been comforting. The kind of comfort that shows up right on time, night after night, after the day finally calms down. It has become part of my bedtime routine.
One night, I was standing there with the freezer door open, spoon already in my hand, reaching for Blue Bell. And I realized something uncomfortable. I was already counting on it to fix the day. I had not even taken a bite yet, and I was expecting relief.
I remember thinking, “Oh, I don’t like that.”
I still filled the bowl with the ooey gooey, frozen goodness. I still ate it, but the thought stayed with me. Not in a dramatic way. Just enough to make me pay attention. It felt like something small had quietly become a little too important.
So when the bowl was empty, I made a decision. Just for a month, I would let it go.
A few days later, I stood in the grocery store freezer aisle, staring straight at the Rocky Road and forcing myself to keep walking. I laughed under my breath and said it felt worse than a breakup.
That’s silly. Yes, I know. But it helped me name what was happening. This was not really about food. It was about learning to notice what I rely on for comfort.
Back at home, I leaned into other things I loved. I baked zucchini bread and banana bread. I filled my kitchen with familiar smells and warmth. And without the nightly ice-cream habit, I realized I was not missing anything. I felt lighter. More present. Not restricted, just more aware.
It turns out this was never about dessert. It was about remembering that I am not ruled by habits or cravings. Scripture talks about self-control as one of the many fruits worth growing in our lives by the help of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Learning to practice self control was not punishment. No. Instead, God was doing this so that I could discover the fruit of His Spirit was sweeter and worth forming in my life.
It makes me wonder if there is something small you might pause for a season too. Not forever. Just long enough to notice what fills the space. The month will end. Ice cream will still be there, and I will enjoy it again. But I am grateful for what I learned along the way. Sometimes the lesson is not loud. It is simply waiting to be noticed.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- Is there something small in your life that has quietly become a source of comfort or control for you?
- What might it look like to pause from that thing for a season—not as punishment, but as awareness?
- Which fruit of the Spirit do you sense God wanting to grow more deeply in your life right now?
- How does it change your perspective to remember that self-control is something the Holy Spirit produces in you, not something you have to force on your own?
- What space might God be inviting you to notice or fill differently as you lean into His Spirit?