SELF-CONTROL: Choosing to do what is right when I feel like doing wrong.
During Belt Promotion:
Mrs. Jackson: You did a great job.
Student: Thank you
Mrs. Jackson: What do you think you have improved at most?
Student: Self Control
Mrs. Jackson: Who do you have to have self-control with?
Student: My brother / sister / siblings
Many times this is how questions at belt promotions go, however there are so many ways that Self-Control comes into play in our lives. We are always faced with the responses of “yes I should do this” or “no I should not do that”. Choosing to do what is right is how we display Self-Control.
Let’s look at some situations of what Self-Control might look like:
Your sibling does something that really bothers you so you have a choice to let it bother you to the point of reacting the wrong way (ie. Hitting them, yelling at them, tattling when it is not warranted), or choosing a solution to the bother that allows God’s love to shine through you (ie. Walking away, saying you understand how they are feeling - but how can you help them, putting it back in their corner by maybe asking if an adult needs to get involved). You need to have Self-Control with your Emotions
You know that you have school work or chores to do, but your parents are busy doing the things that they need to do. Here you have a choice as well. You can choose to do what is not the right thing (ie. Playing video games, hiding stuff in your closet or under your bed so it “looks” like your room is clean, maybe even lying saying you are caught up with your school) or you can choose to do the right thing (ie. Putting down what you are playing with and finishing your school work or chores, having self-discipline to not even need to be told what to do). You need to have Self-Control in your Behaviors.
You have a terrible sweet tooth and LOVE to eat cookies, candy, and ice cream. You have a choice to make; should you eat as much as you may want to or should you practice Self-Control and eat a reasonable amount of sweets? For the time being, we think that sweets taste so good and “what is wrong with eating a lot?”, however, in the long run we can get an upset stomach, become unhealthily overweight or even develop life threatening diseases. Sweets can be a good thing, but as with all things, we should practice moderation. You need to have Self-Control in your Desires.
Through accepting Christ as our savior, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and produces many things if we allow the change to happen!
MORE TO THINK ABOUT:
“But the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23