“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” (2 Peter 1:3-7).

We started this series on Godliness several weeks ago, looking at Peter’s instructions about growing in our godly life. We come now to the part about self-control. I still remember the epiphany I had about self-control several years ago. I have always sought to be self-controlled; purposeful. I worked hard at it and was often frustrated because I never met my own ambitious standards. And then in reading about the fruit of the spirit, I realized that self-control was included. In other words, self-control is only really possible when endowed and supported by the Holy Spirit, and then only when we have accepted Christ as our Savior. This realization took the pressure and spotlight off me and put it where it belongs, on the Holy Spirit.

Where I had thought that I needed self-control in order to possess the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness; now I know that I need the Holy Spirit in order to possess self-control along with all the others.

So now that we know where it comes from, just what is it? “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control” (Proverbs 25:28). In earlier times, it was customary for cities to build walls of protection. Even in the early days of the United States, forts were common. The purpose was to provide protection from danger. But now, even as then, we know danger is pervasive. That is why we have firewalls for internet protection, and even parental controls for our children’s access to the internet—as much to keep the harmful stuff out as to prevent our kids from going where they should not.

Self-control works like forts and firewalls. We determine where we are at risk, and we develop protections in the form of daily habits, accountability, and even physical restraints. For example, I do not buy cookies. Why? Because I know myself well enough to know that I would eat too many. If I could keep cookies in the cookie jar and only eat one or two a day, then I would. But I know myself too well. Your fort will not necessarily look like my fort. Self-control presumes that we know that too many cookies (or whatever) are a bad thing. That is where the knowledge that precedes self-control in this progression comes from. We learn what is best and why, and then we develop ways to stay on track.

There are all kinds of good books on the subject. Two of my current favorites are John Ortwell’s The Life You Always Wanted and Atomic Habits, by James Clear. But the best book on the subject is the Bible. I think Paul struggled with self-control because of some of the words he wrote:

• “For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:19-25)
• “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27).
• “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

In summary, know what is right, then practice, always calling on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength.

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

In Christ,

Judy