Fruit of the Spirit: Self-Control

“Be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined”

Developing self-control can only evolve by walking with God intimately. It’s a virtue that is probably the most challenging to acquire because it requires us to have all the other fruit: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. This is truly the foundation to living a life that is meaningful, spiritually grounded and emotionally healthy. The Bible teaches us that through the grace of God he trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives (Titus 2:11-12).

Self-control is a gift provided to us by the Holy Spirit and a discipline that has to be actively pursued. It protects our walk with God and allows us to choose purpose consistently. As we exercise this fruit in our lives we grow in maturity, humility, and Christlikeness. It allows us to develop key strengths like integrity and moral purity. The Scripture tells us that, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” When we do not govern ourselves under God’s order, we will not have the ability to manage our inner life and that ultimately lead to foolish choices and sinful actions. Without self-control we can easily be exposed to dangerous influences, destructive habits, and poor decisions. By contrast, self-control is our protective boundary that helps us to keep our heart guarded, our bodies disciplined, and our mind clear so that we have the ability to always use the wisdom given to us by the Lord.

When we fully surrender our lives to Jesus, we then give the Holy Spirit our entire dependence, and through this we cultivate close fellowship with God. This is why human willpower will never work, because its only through God’s Holy Spirit that a person can grow increasingly capable of resisting temptation and responding with love and control. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, we learn that no temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it. This verse provides a clear knowing that we need God involved to provide the way out. Temptation, hardship, struggles are inevitable because we are human beings living in this world, but God is our vindicator and he is the only one that can give us victory over everything. There’s so much vitality in living a life that is intentional. When we choose to develop Godly habits such as prayer, scripture meditation, and community building our inner life is strengthened and it will begin to feel natural to choose what is right even when it isn’t necessarily easy. Self-control shapes us in more ways than one and it becomes a shield against evil. It enables believers to say no to what is harmful to the soul and yes to what honors God. It allows our lives to reflect the character of Christ. As we are seeking to cultivate a life that is self-controlled, we must look to Jesus as our model because he lived it out perfectly. From the temptation in the wilderness to surrendering his will in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus is the source of our strength. Through his Spirit, imperfect people like you and I can grow in discipline, wisdom, and self-control.