Self-Control

I’ve written about patience before, but it's not patience we need.  We need a little self-control when we think we need patience. The preacher spoke about anger management. The first verse he used was 1 Cor 13:5, “Love is not easily angered.” That lets me know love isn’t human.

As humans, we get angry, often. We have to learn to control ourselves. A school I worked for has the mantra of RISE. The S stands for self-control. When teaching the principles, I explain that babies have no control over anything. They can’t control their environment, caregivers, or needs. They wear diapers, and if they are wet, hungry, sleepy, or hurting, they have no control. As they grow, they learn to take control of themselves.

Proverbs 25:28 says, “A man who lacks self-control is like a city whose walls have failed. He’s vulnerable to attack. He can’t protect himself.” He’s like a baby. Proverbs 29:22 says, “A hot-tempered man, or woman, gets into all kinds of trouble.” Temper has a cost. When we get angry, we pay. It could cost you embarrassment. It could cost you a job. Either way, when we lose our temper, we lose.

I have let my emotions get the best of me. I have gotten angry. We can’t help getting angry. It’s our human nature. It’s how we respond. But how we display it is up to us. We can show our temper and lose. We can control it and win.

Proverbs 29:11 says, “A stupid man gives free rein to his anger; a wise man waits and lets it grow cool.”  It doesn’t say the wise man doesn’t get angry. It says he waits. He controls his anger. Matthew 5:39 tells us to turn the other cheek. This is the wise man. Eph 4:2 tells us not to sin by letting anger gain control and not to go to bed while still angry. Proverbs tells us people with good sense (Godly sense) restrain from anger.

We have to learn to control our temper, our anger. Romans 12:12 tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. In God, we are made new creations. Every day we have to plan and prepare.

In Eph 6:12, Paul says Christians aren’t fighting flesh and blood, earthly foes, but against powers of wickedness. Today is no different. Our world is overrun with those who want to remove God from our world. He told the church to put on the whole armor of God. Each day we have to renew our minds and prepare for whatever comes our way.

One way we can prepare is to surround ourselves with other believers. The preacher made the analogy that it’s a whole lot easier to pull someone down than to pull someone up.  If we surround ourselves with negative and angry people like we find on social media, we will not control ourselves as we should.  But if we surround ourselves with positive people like fellow believers, we are more likely to be positive too. Proverbs 22:24 tells us, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man. Do not associate with one easily angered or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared.”

But seek out like-minded fellowship. Proverbs also tells us that if we handle situations wisely, we will find good. If we trust God, we will be happy. So control yourself and trust God in everything you do.

So.  Don’t Worry, Be Happy.