Under Control

By Andrew Beasley       One the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. We cannot bear this fruit if you do not have all the ingredients that Paul lists. You can have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness but if you lack self-control, the fruit that you are bearing in your life is not the fruit of the Spirit. That is not to say that all of these are easy to embody. Each aspect of the fruit of the Spirit poses its challenges.     Self-control influences all aspects of our lives. If we do not control our thoughts, we put ourselves at risk (Matt. 5:27-28). If we do not control our words, we may not only harm ourselves but our relationships with others (James 3:5). If we do not control our actions, again, the effects can be wide reaching. Remember the consequences of David’s lack of self-control in his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba were not limited to only David and Bathsheba.     But as it is with all of the other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, if we can learn self-control then we can not only be a blessing to ourselves, but to everyone else around us.

- Andrew Beasley serves as a minister with the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/