The Millennial Mom

Life changing mindset

About a year ago I heard an influencer that I follow on Instagram (I know, I know) say that maybe your ‘ADHD/ADD’ is actually a self control issue you’re not aware of. This woman is a Christian mom of 10 so it really made me stop and think. For a little more context, her comment was in response to a question along the lines of, “how do you get it all done?!”

Naturally, my first stop was to my Bible. What does it say about self-control? In Galatians 5:22-24 the Bible tells us the fruit that comes from the Spirit and one of those traits is indeed self control. But I love in verse 24 that we’re reminded that if we belong to Jesus Christ we’ve crucified our fleshly desires which could be laziness or a tendency to adopt a label such as ADHD/ADD as an easy way out of things or an excuse.

I know that sounds harsh but it’s what I did for years. I’ve been told I have tendencies close to ADD and I just let that be a part of me. I let that label excuse me from finishing one task at a time or being forgetful without even making an attempt to remember. I still sometimes struggle with memory due to a health condition I have (plus multiple pregnancies) but taking steps to insure I remember things is an easy thing to do that I just let slide because it was expected of me to forget.

So what’s changed?

Have you ever read a verse a hundred times and then on time one hundred one something clicks like it hadn’t before? When I read the verses about the fruit that the Holy Spirit gives I realized that while I had been praying for the Holy Spirit to please give me joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, or self control I had never truly believed that I could have that fruit. When I was asking, begging for patience with my children I should’ve been thanking Him for already giving me that ability and living into that strength through Him. When I started thanking Him for self-control I starting finishing the dishes before starting the laundry. I started writing down dates and times and not getting distracted when it was time to leave.

Sure, I still have days where I forget that the Holy Spirit, the One who supplies those wonderful gifts, is living inside me and I don’t access that strength. But thank God there’s grace for that.

Final thought

From this one simple sentence from some lady in Texas on a random weekday morning I caught a little nugget of what I needed. I was able to take that thought to the Word of God and compare it to what He says and I was left with a life changing conclusion.

When Jesus was going to the cross He told His disciples that He was leaving someone, He was leaving the Helper, the Comforter, the Spirit of truth. That same person that Jesus said was coming lives inside every believer today and we have access to Him. The Holy Spirit is powerful and personal.

‘But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.’ Romans 8:9