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PROGRAM D-7076
Self-control is the only hyphenated self word I’ve found in the Bible. Galatians 5:23 says that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. Now, what does it mean to be self-controlled?
It means that your self—the selfish, self-centered, prideful “you” who resides in all of us—needs to be controlled. I don’t have the power in myself to do that, but as a child of God, I have the power of Christ within me. It is my responsibility to allow his Spirit to control me, and when I am controlled by the Spirit of God, then my “self” is controlled.
How do we know when our self is out of control? Here are some evidences.
Self is out of control when we talk about ourselves more than anyone else. When was the last time that you thought someone else’s problem was more important than yours? Do you listen with a compassionate heart to other’s needs? Do you respond to cries for help? Or are you so self-preoccupied that you only think of yourself and your own needs?
Self is out of control when our tongue is out of control. Are your words often fast, impulsive, angry, and thoughtless? Are you wounding people with words a lot?
Another evidence that self is out of control is when there are some obvious personality flaws, some rough edges that never seem to get polished. Do you often say, “Well, that’s just the way I am” as a means of excusing something that needs to be changed about you? Do you let yourself off the hook by claiming “it runs in the family,” or “nobody’s perfect”?
We can tell that our self is out of control by how we feel when others have something we need or want. Are you envious a lot? Do you rejoice when someone else is successful, or do you resent it and secretly wish they would fall on their face? Envy and jealousy are clear evidences that self is out of control.
Are you obsessed by some bad habit? Eat too much? Procrastinate a lot? Lazy? Are you addicted to television or some other form of entertainment? A person who has these problems is not a self-controlled person.
Undoubtedly we all recognize that our self is out of control in some area. Think about it today and ask God to show you where you lack self-control.
Here is a link to Bringing “Self” Under Control https://christianworkingwoman.org/resources/radio-offers/