Self control means just what it says, having control over one’s self. Someone has said, “A man’s conquest of himself dwarfs the ascent of Everest.” And Solomon said, “He that is slow to anger is greater than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Self control, though admittedly difficult, is a vital concern to every person who wants to serve God.
Jesus enjoined self control when He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” No man can truly be His disciple who has not subordinated his will to the will of the Master, and to do that he must first have control over himself.
The Bible is replete with examples of self control.
Noah was not able to control the environment in which he lived (Genesis 6:5–13). It deteriorated to such an extent that God had to destroy it. But in the midst of that impenitent society, Noah was able to control himself. He did not allow his surroundings to control him, but remained the master of his own life and, in doing so, not only became the means for the preservation of the human race, but more importantly, incurred the favor of God (Hebrews 11:7).
The same may be said of Joseph (Genesis 19:1ff). He was not able to control the immorality of ancient Egypt, but he was able to control himself. When he could have become bitter because life gave him a hard way to go, he refused to allow his circumstance to get control of him. When Potiphar’s wife sought to seduce him, he practiced self control and suffered for having done so. After all was added up, the most important thing he accomplished by such endurance was that “The Lord was with Joseph” (Genesis 39:21).
Paul is likewise a good example of self control. He had feelings of great remorse concerning his countrymen and their failure to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah (Romans 9:1–5; 10:1–3). He was grossly treated by those who opposed his teachings, both Jew and Gentile; he was persecuted and left for dead; he suffered all manner of trials because of the cause he recommended (2 Corinthians 6:4–10). And through it all, he remained in firm control of his life, “choosing to suffer affliction” as did the great lawgiver before him (Hebrews 11:25; Philippians 3:8ff).
We must learn self control from these illustrations.
The orchestration of a godly life demands it. Peter says so when he commands that we learn it in adding to our faith virtue (the self control it takes to be moral); knowledge (by control of time, effort); temperance (ASV, “self control”); patience (control under pressure); godliness (control of attitude); brotherly kindness (control of attitudes, activities toward our fellows); love (control of motive). When such controls are present, they make a man fruitful, useful to God. When they are not, they cause nearsightedness, ingratitude (2 Peter 1:5ff).
Some areas of self control?
The more obvious ones surely need our attention. Things like temper (Romans 12:18), and desires (2 Timothy 2:22), and the tendency toward vengeance (Romans 12:19).
But there are some less obvious areas that demand our constant attention, too.
Things like what we allow our minds to entertain. That takes great control. We have to learn to flip the switch on the television, put the magazine down, walk away from some smutty story. And that takes great control (see Ephesians 4:27; Philippians 4:8–9).
And how about how we spend our time? It’s hard to budget time, to put into a day what really belongs there. There must be time for meditation, prayer, study, and that demands control, for there are literally thousands of things that compete for our time in this day and age. And it slips away, almost without our knowing it (see Hebrews 5:12; Ephesians 5:16).
Finally, what are you doing to bring about your spiritual maturity? Man, talk about control—that takes control! Do you have a plan you are following which is calculated to make you “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”? (see Hebrews 6:1).
“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Protect yourself. Get in control.
Bowman, Dee. (1987). Front Lines: Self Control. Christianity Magazine, 4(12), 2.
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