Day 10 — Self-Control

“Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who does not control his temper.”

— Proverbs 25:28 (BSB)

In Bible times, cities were surrounded by thick, strong walls. The walls kept out enemies, robbers and wild animals. Inside the walls, people could sleep safely at night. But imagine a city whose walls had crumbled into piles of rubble. Anyone could walk right in. The city would be defenseless.

Proverbs says a person without self-control is like that city. Self-control is the wall that protects you. Without it, you’re open to anything: anger, bad choices and all sorts of trouble walking right in and taking over.

Self-control means being in charge of yourself, instead of letting your feelings or wants be in charge of you. It’s saying no to something you want right now, because you know it isn’t good.

Where do you need self-control? Maybe:

• Your temper. Not blowing up when you’re mad.
• Your words. Not saying the mean thing that pops into your head.
• Your screens. Turning off the game when it’s time, even though you really want one more round.
• Your appetite. Not eating the whole bag of cookies.
• Your body. Keeping your hands to yourself when you’re frustrated.

Here’s a little trick for when you feel like you’re about to lose control: Stop. Breathe. Pray. Stop before you act. Take a deep breath. Then pray a quick prayer: “God, help me!”

Now, here’s the surprising part. Self-control is last in the list of the fruit of the Spirit. That means even self-control isn’t something you do all by yourself! It’s a fruit God grows in you. The Holy Spirit gives you the power to say no when you couldn’t do it on your own.

So when you fail, and everyone does sometimes, don’t just try harder next time. Pray harder. Ask the Spirit to build up your walls.

Think about it: In which area of your life is it hardest to have self-control? What happens when your “walls” are down?

Try this: Practice “Stop. Breathe. Pray.” at least once today when you feel a strong emotion or temptation.

Dear God, I want to have self-control, but sometimes my feelings take over. Please build strong walls in my life. When I’m angry or tempted, help me stop, breathe and pray. Holy Spirit, grow self-control in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.