Self-Control

Matthew 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

I realize this verse does not have the exact words "self-control" in it, but it is exactly what Jesus meant. You do realize that self-control is FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT and not a practice of human effort, right? That always catches me with this one, but it is my favorite to write about. Now to connect the verse with self-control. The words "lead us not into temptation" refer to our self-control. God's purpose in these is that we would allow Him to change our heart so that the things that once were temptations to us are no longer temptations at all. The Spirit in us transforms our desires so that we desire things of the Spirit and not things of the flesh. Our self-control is not about controlling ourselves at all. It is about the Spirit doing the work inside, so that our self-control becomes an outpouring of our love and obedience to God. We just won't do or desire to do things of the flesh. We will walk by the Spirit and therefore, temptation becomes a thing of the old self. Our new self in Christ, through the Spirit, is self-controlled. I love that, especially since I am someone who does very poorly with my own willpower. I cannot do the things I ought and I do the things I should not. Sound familiar? But with Christ in me and the power of the Holy Spirit transforming my inner self, day by day, I have found that the things I ought to do have become a part of who I am. And vice versa, I don't even think about the things that once tempted me. It's a journey and I am not even close to having "arrived". It's a daily surrender to my Sovereign Lord and the His holy work in me. I love that story.