The Fruit of Self Control

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 

As I was meditating on Galatians 5:22-23, commonly known as the “Fruit of the Spirit” the phrase self-control struck me in a new way since I had just listened to the recent sermon on Idolatry. I realized how much I allow other’s opinions and judgment, both real and perceived, to control my words and actions. I tend to idolize doing the right thing for everyone and making everyone happy, to an unhealthy extent so that I often don’t realize what it is the Jesus wants me to do. And I realized that the phrase “self-control” means for me that I’m not “others-controlled.” So this week I’m going to meditate on what it means to be controlled by the Holy Spirit who dwells in myself rather than externally controlled by other’s opinions and wanting to receive praise and favor from people rather than confidence that I’m living in and acting in God’s Word and his desire for me.