The Fruit of Self-Control

Hi Ladies,

This week we’ve come to the final fruit of the Spirit and it’s self-control. When I think of self-control, I think of moderation and restraint. Moderation is important when it comes to the things we may want and even need such as food, clothes and finances. We all need food to live and the occasional cookie isn’t going to hurt anyone, but if we sit down and eat the entire package of Oreos, we have a serious self-control issue. (As a child I restrained myself from eating the entire package of Oreos, however, I did lick the creme centers out of all of them, put the cookies back together and returned them to the package.) As adults we want to teach our kids the difference between “want” and “need”. They don’t “NEED” a new Playstation every time a new version comes out, they “WANT” it. This week the kids were home for 7 straight days with the holiday and snow day and I wish I had a dollar for every time someone said, “I need a snack.” I could go out and finish my Christmas shopping with that amount! But are we adults any different? We think we need a bigger house, a newer car, nicer clothes and better vacations, among many other things. We want to teach our kids something that we either don’t have a grasp on ourselves or at least aren’t setting much of an example of.

The other area of moderation is in the area of things that aren’t prohibited in Scripture, but in reality aren’t that good for us, like alcohol and smoking. I can’t tell someone that what they are doing is a sin, but moderation is key. Overindulgence is pretty consistently warned against. I think most things can be overdone. With Thanksgiving in the rearview, I’m sure many of us ate a little more than we needed. We can sleep too much, work too much, or spend too much.

What if we overindulged in spiritual things such as prayer, thanksgiving and time in God’s word? I don’t think anyone could be accused of overdoing any of those things.

Then there is the restraint side of self-control. This involves our thoughts, words and actions  to resist temptation, make good choices and live our lives in a way that pleases God. Again, not only is self-control a fruit of the Spirit but it’s a gift from God, so some people find it easier than others just because of the way God has gifted them. I personally believe that self-control gets better as we grow spiritually. The world is full of temptations and desires and we need that self-control to resist it.

And self-control is actually very practical. We need it in every area of our life, eating, sleeping, spending and thinking, as well as just about everything really. God has given us the tools to develop our self-control thru Scripture with His commandments and by giving us the Holy Spirit. And never underestimate seeking accountability from other believers. Many years ago, I had a prayer partner that mentored me and it’s really amazing how having that accountability to someone will grow you. That’s why groups like Weight Watchers and Alcoholics Anonymous have helped so many people, we need accountability. And as far as personal accountability, I find bible and prayer journaling to be really helpful in seeing your own growth and in seeing answered prayer and how God is working in your life. If anyone would like to get into bible or prayer journaling and doesn’t know where to start, text or message me, it’s something I really love doing.

I hope you have all enjoyed going thru the fruits of the Spirit and if you haven’t visited our little church on the hill, join us during this holiday season, it’s worth the drive!

Lori Hug