Self-control is something that we all wrestle with in different ways, whether it's how we speak,

how we spend our time, or even the habits that shape our daily lives.

And for Christians, this struggle can be especially difficult and accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame,

especially when we fall short of the standards that we set for ourselves or

believe that God calls us to. Today I'm speaking with Sharanda Cooper to impact this universal

struggle and explore the biblical perspective on self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Sharanda shares practical strategies for developing self-control in key areas of life,

from fitness and eating

habits to spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible reading. She also offers insights into

how setting meaningful goals and relying on the Holy Spirit can help us grow in our self-control,

highlighting the vital importance of community as we seek to help one another follow Jesus more faithfully.

Sharonda is a Bible teacher and serves women through the Charles Simeon Trust.

She also serves as a content coordinator for women's initiatives at the Gospel Coalition

and was a contributor to fruitful, cultivating a spiritual harvest that won't leave you empty,

a new devotional for women

from Crossway. Let's get started.

Well, Sharana, thank you so much for joining me on the Crossway podcast. Thank you for having me.

So the topic of self-control is one of those topics that I think for most

of us probably immediately elicit some kind of low-level guilt or shame as we think about our own

lives. We all have some area or maybe areas where we feel like I have room to grow in my self-control

in this way. But it can sometimes

be pretty hard to talk about, even though it's probably a universal experience. Can you resonate

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