You however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be … self-controlled… Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live… Then they can teach the younger women to be self-controlled and pure … Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good.

Titus 2:1-7 NIV

Self-control! What a challenge sometimes! This Bible passage in Titus mentions everyone – older men, older women, younger women, and younger men. All of us should aspire to have it.

Do you find yourself having self-control in some areas of your life, but others not so much? I know I do. Sometimes I feel like I am on a roller coaster. I go up and up feeling like I have made so much progress and then, bam, down I go at a much faster pace than I went up.

It would be so easy to hang my head in shame, but this passage also mentions endurance. I love that word. Endurance takes work – heads up, hard work – and yields a stick-to-it-ness which builds upon each experience. We can do it. We can make it part of our daily practices.

As believers, our self-control does not have to just depend on ourselves. We have the strength of the Holy Spirit living in us, the power of God’s Word available, and the inspiration of other Christians to spur us on toward the goal of self-control.

Described as a ‘fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22, Galatians 5:25 encourages us to “keep in step with the Spirit.” Thinking about it in those terms makes self-control much more desirable. It is a weapon in our arsenal against the enemy. Our use of self-control evidences God’s presence in our lives allowing others to see good examples. You and I using self-control can lead others to God.

Self-control – we do it for ourselves, we do it for others, and, most importantly, we do it for God. Let it be an act of worship.

Susan Partida