“A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.”

We all start with a budget that is developed from what needs to be accomplished. It might be a project or a program, or a structure. What becomes important in attaining and staying within the budget is that the scope doesn’t creep or expand. “Programmatic Inflation” happens all the time and for many reasons, but one that we can control is the pre-planning and then the discipline to not allow there to be “more” added on if it causes the budget to expand. It’s so easily said, I know. But, so hard to do.  However, so, so important to accomplish.

God has given us a free-will which, within we establish our own “program” of life. Also, in our own ways we budget and allocate our time and resources against our life and work program. When we stay within that budget, we typically will find ourselves aligned and “on track”. In those times, it may be when we feel closest to God. But, we are smart and experienced enough to know that our own flawed nature will cause us to “go over budget” and inflate our life program in ways we know we shouldn’t, but we do. Maybe in our work stuff we can do this alone, but in our lives, it is only when we place our trust and confidence in God that we can establish and maintain a “budget” and self-control that is sustainable and dependable.

Reference:  Proverbs 25:28 (New Living Translation)