My kids came home from school with this You Tube Video of Cookie Monster singing this song "I Want It (But Me Wait)." Hilarious, so well done, and such a great message for all of us. Here's the clip. But Me Wait
We all know that this video is talking about much more than cookies. Really, you can subsititute anything in it's place - anything we have trouble saying no to.
What helps me say "no" to a legitimate need in my life is to know that I can trust God to meet that need, in His time and in His way. What makes temptation almost unbearable is to believe the lie that it is up to us to meet our needs. That if we don't take care of ourselves, no one else will. Part of self regulation for me is to know that God sees and cares, and will provide healthy ways to meet a legitimate need in the right time.
Like most things, it comes down to trust.