Self-control

What is self-control? Why is it necessary?

God’s Response

When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace . . . and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

Spend your time and energy in training yourself for spiritual fitness. Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Self-control is one of the hardest character traits to achieve, because it means denying what comes naturally to our sinful nature and replacing it with a controlled, godly response. Self-control is a lifelong endeavor, because just when you think you have one area of your life mastered, another area gets out of control. Some of the hardest things to control are our thoughts, our words, and our physical appetites. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we achieve self-control. But when we do, we are pleasing to God and pleasing to others.

God’s Challenge

It is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. Proverbs 16:32