Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
Acts of physical aggression in the larger scheme of things is relatively easy.
After all it tends to be the first course of action when sufficiently agitated. From thiz it can eb stated that it is not the person who reacts in a physically aggressive manner. It is the person who remains in complete control of their feelings and expresses themselves considerately who get to see what happens when self-control is in charge. That is why there remains so many words of advice on what to do with conduct, because a distinct lack of self-control can have dire consequences.
Self-control. This quality can be the difference between blurting out information you have, and keeping your mouth shut so that those who don’t need to know won’t know. This quality can be the difference between indulging in that extra slice of chocolate cake and realising your own health could do better by not having any. This quality can be the difference between rambling and raging against all that is ill and seeing the traps for what they are and navigating successfully away from extremes.
Why self-control is so hard to come across is how it at first appears to be counter-intuitive. The one who love self-control will talk about things, before slowly working out the application. God does not leave that to chance. God does not hit and hope where the heart’s happiness is concerned. Sadly many of us tend to blunder into actions first, before realising they could have avoided the heartache by first considering things.
The New Testament marks self-control as a fruit of the Spirit. This makes sense when we realise how wisdom has always highly esteemed self-control. It connects the two together and both come from the Lord, so it makes sense that the fruit of connecting with God is that capacity of avoiding extremes and the ability of walking life’s journey never submitting to fleshly urges.
The beauty of self-control as a characteristic is that every day with every decision we get to practise the quality. Someone shouts aggressively at you, wisdom kicks in and you don’t react aggressively. Someone offers you a ‘quick way’ of getting out of a debt situation … which lands you into more debt, wisdom kicks in and you prefer the harder road of denial rather than apparent solution today, with long term negative consequences.
This quality is possible even in our areas of greatest temptation and weakness. This quality is available as we learn to give up control and hand it over to God. Then consciously submit all decisions to Him and the way He would have us to go. This way like Jesus we can see temptation for what it is and apply God’s Word to help us overcome.
There will be an opportunity to practise it today. Follow the way of wisdom and celebrate self control as it allows you experience victory in righteousness in decision-making.
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 