Practicing Self-Control

The Bible tells us that when God's Spirit lives in us our lives will demonstrate it by qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self-control.  God works in us so we can choose and act in ways that please God and satisfy our souls.  One of the ways we please God is to say "yes" or "no" at the appropriate time. 

We live in a time and culture that could easily be labeled as self-indulgent rather than self-controlled.  One principle that appears to operate in our lives in this 21st Century is, “If it feels good, do it.”  God desires for us to have a rewarding and fulfilling life.  Surprisingly, God tells us that in order to have that we will sometimes have to deny ourselves some immediate pleasures.

But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful  and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their sinful desires to his cross. They don’t want these things anymore.

Galatians 5:22-24

Just like the farmer who plants good seeds has to deal with weeds all through the growing season, we will need to do what is right while fighting against the temptation of immediate gratification. While times of waiting are difficult, there are rich rewards to be reaped when we sow the seeds of self-control. 

As we follow God’s guidance and allow God’s Spirit to mature the fruit of self-control in us, we will both be blessed and be able to be a blessing to others around us.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7

Heavenly Father, we pray today that You would help us walk in Your ways and allow Your Holy Spirit to mature the fruit of self-control in us.    You know what is best for us today and as we build for the future. 

Help us to have humility to surrender our will and our life into Your care today, and when appropriate, wait for things we think we need right now but which You know we either don’t need or don’t need until later. 

Bless us so we can have a settled mind and a peaceful heart as we practice self-control with our time, our habits, our relationships, our money, and in every area of our lives.  Amen

Well, we each have strong areas and weak ones when it comes to practicing self-control.  Let’s give God another opportunity today to grow good things in us s we practice self-control.