For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. -2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
Self-control–it’s that final aspect in the list of the fruit of the spirit that seems to trip so many of is up. All of the other aspects give us a green light; we interpret and readily accept them as character traits to embody and put into action. We want to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, and gentle, right. Then we read self-control.
And something inside us shifts.
Instead of us exploring how we can practice self-control, we shut down a bit because of what we have learned about self-control. We have been tricked into believing that self-control is all about what we don’t do; what we shouldn’t do. When we think about self-control in only this way, it limits our understanding of the power of the Spirit.
See, self-control means we have the discipline to do the work we have been called to do. It helps us to do good for others and to do well for ourselves. Self-control allows us to see the freedom that comes with having the choice of saying either yes or no. The more we become like Jesus, the more we will exercise self-control. Though He is the master of self-control, He is known for what He actually did; not what He avoided. And like Him, we will be known for both living and living well.
What a blessing! Self-control moves us toward freedom.
This month, we will be exploring what God’s love letter to us says about self-control. We are praying that you will join us as we learn to embrace the we freedom gain as we become more self-controlled. #thebeonelife #selfcontrol #fruitofthespirit