Virtues over Vices - Self-Control

 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14 ESV).

 

In our reading today we see the virtue of self-control highlighted. It literally means “having a sound mind, or being reasonable.” It is basically the opposite of living in confusion, ignorance, or indifference about making choices that support healthy living. God’s grace saves us from ungodliness (literally, “an unworshipful life”) and from being a slave to the world’s ideas of what we need or want. We are not born with the ability to just say “no”—at least not on a regular basis and not without something else to say “yes” to. If we are without God in our life, all our “yes’s” are basically guesswork. Our guesses sometimes make things worse, and sometimes a little better—but without God we cannot find the path to full life.

 

In his grace, however, God has already said “yes” to something else for us. Through the work of the Savior, Jesus, God has said “yes” to our redemption, giving us a whole new way of life. And because of this, God can now train us to say “yes” to better choices in our everyday living. That’s self-control.

 

Self-control is the God-trained ability to understand and choose which options bring us closer to being our best selves. One of the practices that accompanies self-control is delayed gratification. Because our culture has become more “now-centered” this concept is often difficult to practice. We have come to accept as reasonable and “fair” this idea that it is always okay to want what we want and want it NOW. Often that creates a recipe producing disaster. This is especially true when we are making choices between good, better, and best. God desire the best for us. Often that requires waiting with patient endurance. Commit to the best in your life!