Self Control

I've been thinking - as I sometimes do.
And what I've been thinking on is not an unusual topic. It's one that plagues the whole of society, but holds particular meaning to those of us Christians who want to live what the Bible teaches. In the bible there is a passage which lists what are known as the "fruits of the Spirit" or in other words, qualities of personality or soul which need cultivating in the followers of Jesus. They include such things as "Gentleness", "Goodness", "Peace" and "Patience". All good stuff I'm sure, but I feel that even attaining these seemingly rare qualities may be direcly attributed to one quality further down which makes all of us squirm slightly and skip it quickly to move on to other more likeable subjects. I'm talking of the quality that is "Self Control".
I'm sure we all have an idea of what self control is. It's the ability to not have second helpings at dinner isn't it? Or the ability to say "no" to chocolate, right? Well, yes - and no! I think that self control is probably a whole lot bigger than that.
Maybe self control is what we exercise when there's an opportunity to gossip and we deny ourselves that.
Maybe self control is what we exercise when we make ourselves get out of bed the first time the alarm clock rings rather than snoozing it five times.
Maybe self control is us listening to that person who is rabbitting on in our ear when we don't feel like listening - but perhaps that person desperately needs us to.
Maybe self control is what means we have a set time to pray and listen to God each week.
Maybe self control is a whole lot bigger than we think. Maybe if we stop to think about our lives for real it is self control which means we are gentle, good, peaceful and patient. Perhaps in skipping over this hard to swallow word means we're denying ourselves the very things we're hoping to achieve in this life.

It frightens me when I have revelations like this. I can't deny that I've had some kind of a realisation that I'm not living up to the mark of what I know to be the best way to live. I can't pretend I don't know any better. And so I have to change. And it frightens me that I'm daft enough to tell my friends that I've been thinking and realising such things - as it gives them the liberty of taking me to task when I don't follow up my words with actions.