Dirty little word

Self control…

Those dirty little words. It causes a lot of trouble for us, doesn’t it? Well I know it does for me a lot of the time. Here recently I have been revisiting those two little words…self control…just really seeking, what does it mean for me, and what does the Bible have to say about it. It actually says a lot about it.

So where I start when I want to learn more about a word is, I define it. There are a lot of different definitions of this word, all that say the same thing, just differently. So I chose this one to put in here:

Self control: Restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, desires, or emotions.

I don’t know about you, but that just hit me….lets read it again slower…Restraint exercised over one’s own impulses, desires, or emotions.

Let’s break it down a little:
Restraint: {a measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits}
Exercised: {Use or apply}
Impulses: {a sudden strong urge or desire to act}
Desires: {a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen}
Emotions: {a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.}

Maybe I'm having an "ah-ha" moment, but this picture is just hitting me. When you read the definition of self control, and then read the breakdown of what the different words mean…it just brings a whole new meaning to it. For me it does at least.

Let’s see what the Bible says about it. There are a lot of different verses on this word, but I took just a few to look at today.
Take the context of the words that we just defined & reading scripture through the filter of the definitions:

Proverbs 25:28
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (I think about all the pictures we see of people overseas, in just rampages, burning things, just complete chaos…those city walls have been broken down for sure…due to a lack of self control.)


1 Peter 4:7
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self controlled SO THAT you can pray.
(I love in this verse that there is a “so that” in there…which is a commonly used phrase at my church. I love that there is an application…we are to be clear minded and self controlled, (considering the definitions), so that we can pray. Anyone with me? Wow. I love this.)

Galatians 5:22-24
The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control – against such there is no law. Those who BELONG to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with is passions & desires.
(So this verse is for us, Followers. We belong to Christ so….as we mature & grow we should be seeing more of these fruits in our life – not less of them.)

In my study of this word, self control, I came across this commentary of the word. It gave such a great word picture of this word & the lack there of it, that I wanted to share it with you. I put the link on there so you could read it for yourself if you wanted to.

http://bible.org/seriespage/mark-10-self-control

The mention of the term self-control undoubtedly brings to mind different images for people depending on their particular circumstances. Many probably think of combating dominating habits that can range from the simple to the more complex and debilitating. It may be as simple as a poor diet or a tendency to overeat at Thanksgiving, or to talking too much. It may also be something far more serious like chain smoking, drunkenness, drug abuse, sexual sins (pornography and adultery), a quick temper, a pattern of exaggerating or lying, etc. Others may think of dealing with an abusive spouse, parent, or employer or of dealing with their own tendencies toward losing control and becoming abusive. Others need self-control because they are lazy or have poor work habits while others are workaholics and need self-control to back off and learn to relax.

Regardless, self-control is very much an important part of maturity. One of the basic characteristics of infancy is a lack of self-control. Not only do babies need diapers, they must be carried because they lack the necessary control and muscle coordination to sit up much less walk or run. If a babies are healthy and normal, in time they will develop more and more self-control—a sure sign of growth and maturity

The importance of self-control can be seen in the news media which graphically portray how the lack of self-control, because of man’s various inner cravings, impact our society for evil. Plainly, when men and nations turn away from God and seek significance, security, and satisfaction through the desires of the flesh, it leads to a blatant absence of self-control. This will then manifests itself in hundreds of ways with devastating results on individuals, families, on certain groups in a society (the fatherless, the widow, and the poor [see Isa. 1:21-23]), and on society as a whole.

I just love the picture he paints of a baby…he says a basic characteristic of infancy is a lack of self control…..and in time they will develop more and more self control – a sure sign of growth and maturity.

This just spoke volumes to me. When you go back to Galatians & read the fruit of the spirit…isn’t this one the hardest? I know for me it is….it’s the restraining of the impulses & desires that is the hardest for me. Whether it manifests itself in food, in thoughts, in actions….It is just such a task to deny those thoughts/feelings/emotions/wants/impulses that come up all throughout our every day….but its obviously important to God.

So how do we do this…how do we become “self controlled?” How do we live out a life that starts producing these fruits that are a sign of growth and maturity? Because isn’t that the goal as Followers? To become something that we weren’t before? To start to live & look like Jesus the older we get or the more mature we become?

What is it for you, how can you start to look more like him? Maybe it’s starting with something smaller, maybe it’s starting with love? How can you love more? How can you have more peace? How can you have more patience? Whatever your dirty little word is, I would challenge you to move into it. Be bold enough to move & to actually CHANGE….so that you can become more & more like Him…and the world will know there is a difference in us, the ones who are Followers of Christ.

I leave you with my favorite verse….on that nails this self control word in the head, and one that I can’t live without:

Genesis 4:7
“If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must MASTER it.”

May we become people who master this word self control!
God speed friends.