Self Control

There are so many things that beset us, things that tempt us, try us, entrap us.  The devil is real and out to get us....and he does sometimes.  Sometimes he wins.....and we let him do it....freely.  It is interesting that we all have different challenges in our lives.  We know that what tempts one person may not tempt us at all.  And sometimes we marvel that another person could be so weak in an area of their lives, knowing that what is so difficult for them to avoid doesn't look attractive to us at all.  But that is life.

The subject of self control is much broader than that.  It seems to extend across all aspects of our lives, all temptations.  Whatever tempts us, each of us, has one solution:  self control.  In all of the Bible, the one thing that is taught for us to control is Self.  We cannot control so many things in our lives.  Think about that.......politics, weather, traffic, other people's actions, even health sometimes.  Many things are out of our control.  But Self....now there is our challenge.

Peter in listing the things that we are to add to our faith, includes self control.  It is a critical ingredient to our service to God.  (2Peter 1:6) "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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Notice Paul's teaching in Acts 24:24, "Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess.  He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus.  As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now...."  Felix was a man whose life was totally out of control, at least in the sense of righteousness.  But we also know that, while me may not be a Felix, we have our need for self control.

I wish for you all the best of God's blessings in developing more and more of the control of self...and the service to our Lord.

The teachings are many for our practice of self control.  But we know that it is easier said than done in controlling ourselves.  Let us each work on us; let me work on Me.  Surely I need it.