Self-control

Tuesday April 6, 2021

Self-control

Join to your faith, virtue ; to virtue, knowledge ; to knowledge, self-control... 2 Peter 1: 5-7

David has taken refuge in the depths of a cave when Saul, pursuing him, comes to bed at the entrance. He shows great self-control by resisting the advice of his lieutenants : to stab the King of Israel with a lance (1 Samuel 24). On the contrary, he misses it completely when Nabal refuses to share his feast with him while shearing his sheep. He gets angry and would have killed him and his whole household without Abigail's intervention (1 Samuel 25).

More than anyone else, the Christian should demonstrate self-control, since this quality is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him (Galatians 5:23).

A child gives free rein to his desires of the moment or his instincts ; he does not control them and gets angry if he cannot satisfy them. It’s up to his parents to teach him, as he grows older, that there are limits that should not be crossed. One of the aspects of knowledge that we talked about a fortnight ago is to be aware of these limits. By acquiring this knowledge, you learn to respect them and not to act under the sway of your passions, but to please the Lord.

Not so easy, you might say, to control his gaze, his words, his appetite, his impulses, his time, his thoughts, his imagination, his reactions to others. Impossible even, if you count on your good will alone ! It is only by living in the presence of the Lord and with his help that you will receive wisdom and strength. You must hold yourself to be dead to sin (Romans 6:11) so that you do not give in to your fleshly impulses.

Several proverbs emphasize the importance of self-control : He who is slow to anger is better than a strong man, and he who rules his mind is better than one who takes a city (Proverbs 16:32) ; The man who does not rule his mind is a ruined city without walls (Proverbs 25:28). Slowness to anger is great understanding, but he who is of an impatient spirit exalts folly (Proverbs 14:29).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)