Self-control

Prov. 25: 26

A man without self-control is the a city broken into and left without walls.

How important is self-control! A city without walls is without protection. Any  aggressor will have free reign in conquering the city. So also for the man without self-control. He is not his own. His decisions will be overthrown, and he is easy prey for others to take him down without any regard for his feelings or his preferences. 

How does the believer have self-control? Gal. 5:22-23 says it is a fruit of the Spirit. One that is given to us by the indwelling Spirit. But sadly, it doesn't come to us the second we are saved. Like fruit it is grown. But how and can we accelerate this growth process? 2 Tim. 1:7 says that God gave us a spirit of power, love, and self-control. It is our gift, but what if we never unwrap the gift? 

It is for this unwrapping that the Spirit of God works in our life. 2 Pet. 1:5-7 says, For this reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness, with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. Previous to verses 5-7, Peter was talking about the very great promises of God, promises by which we become partakers of the divine nature. This divine nature has allowed us to escape the corruption that is in the world through sinful desires. God did this for us when He chose and saved us. How amazing! 

The divine nature must grow within us, and consequently must produce many things in our lives of which one is self-control. What is my part in this growth process? I must make every effort. I know we bemoan our lack of self-control, but have we really made every effort? What does it look like when we have made every effort? Have we begun with virtue and knowledge? Certainly we all want to live as godly believers who love others, but are we willing to pay the price for this growth? Are we willing to water and fertilize so that the fruit will grow? Often this watering and fertilizing of the Spirit's fruit comes in the form of suffering, adversity, and trials. Have we trusted God even in the face of hard things? Strong words! God does not keep this process a secret, but instead He has given us His grace as our sufficiency. This grace is there for us to depend on as the growing begins and continues.

Father,

My heart is touched this morning. Have I made every effort? Show me what this looks like. Grow me in Your fruit. Strengthen my resolve and focus.

In Jesus name,

Amen