Exercising Self-Control

 

 

Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, “Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.”     Acts 24:25 (NKJV)

 

An older gentleman speaking on health said, “You will have pain in your old age. You can choose now if that pain will be from exercise or illness.” Sigh.

This was a call to be disciplined in taking care of our own bodies. The speaker also talked about discipline in our eating habits that can sabotage the most dedicated “exerciser.” The big picture he was teaching was self-control.

Sadly, this is new teaching for many adults. In our culture, exercising self-control is a discipline that does not appear to be being taught to the next generation.

Knowing it was true many who heard the talk went home and started exercising. For some, it was a new beginning. They had tried before. To others it was new thought to need to exercise as they aged.

As I have thought about exercise, eating, and aging (especially as we approach the holiday eating season), it is obvious that we have plenty of areas in which to exercise self-control in order to live in good physical, financial, relational, and spiritual health.

Look at Luke 16:10a: He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.

Think of all the areas that require self-control:

• waiting to buy something until we can afford it
• controlling our tongues
• skipping dessert for weight control or health reasons
• being on time
• letting our yes be yes and our no, no
• keeping a check on our anger and emotions
• putting the phone down during meals or, worse, while we’re driving(!)
• cleaning up after ourselves

Some of these bring some serious consequences if allowed to go for too long. Debt. Broken relationships. Weight or illness problems. Sin before God. Living in filth (or worse).

There are such advantages and blessings to practicing self-control that, especially for the Christian who understands the blessings of God, it is hard to comprehend why we would not want to see the blessings, maintain relationships, live with peace and joy, and please God and those we love.

As in so many places in our lives many of us (me included) choose our own comfort and live in our own pride before we consider the consequences of that decision! Why?

In the moment, the pleasures of this world are more attractive than the blessing of God.  Our own desires have out-ranked our desire to please Him.

These are not conscious thoughts but we are just like Felix in the verse at the top. Someone talks about righteousness and self-control and we send them away (or stop reading the blog!) as if that means we won’t be convicted.

In the bigger picture self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is discussed many times in relation to the different disciplines in which we are to exercise it (speech – Proverbs 10:9-10, anger -Proverbs 15:18, eating and drinking – Proverbs 23:20. Money – 1 Timothy 6 and sexual appetites – 1 Corinthians 7:5, 9).  

The issue is greater than that health adviser saw it. Physically. Financially. Relationally. Spiritually. We can choose to obey God with self-control or we can suffer the consequences.