Wednesday Wonder – November 13, 2024

Self-control

Almost to the end of the list of the gifts of the Spirit. Have been leaving this one because it is likely the one I struggle with the most. Self-control, or lack thereof, is a big deal.

Now, for those of you who were in, or watched, the service on Sunday you know that I talked about temptation with the young people. We have been discussing what the Lord’s Prayer means and we had gotten to the ‘lead us not into temptation’ part. So I brought one of the things that tempts me most for the story box. Full of chocolate and candy it was. And when I brought it into fellowship time I was impressed with the number of people who showed self-control when offered some.

As someone who has struggled with her weight her whole life, what and how much I eat has always been a big deal. It is also one of the places I struggle with self-control. Open a package of cookies, or put out a bowl of M&Ms and I can’t stop myself. I will just keep eating. I also have the same lack of self-control when it comes to shopping. My mother and I were both self-proclaimed shopaholics. Finding a good snack or a good deal, those things seem to make me lose control. I try hard to only buy what I need, or eat what I should, but some days…

Self-control also works, or doesn’t, in other parts of our lives. As I have gotten older I find I have more self-control of my mouth and what comes out of it. Doesn’t mean I don’t think other things, but I have learned to be, for the most part, kinder and gentler when I have an opinion or thought to share. It took time to learn that though. And some days, there seems to be no self-control available and I just shoot my mouth off about anything! Not a good look for a minister and times, but I’m only human.

 Self-control is said to be a gift of the Spirit. Some of us have received that gift and embraced it, others of us are still working on it. Some days it seems like we have, perhaps, not been given any of this gift at all. Or maybe that’s just me.

We all have opinions. We all have things we love to do. We all have things we know we should cut back on (look out scale here comes Christmas baking!) and we all watch as others struggle with similar issues to ours, and with different ones of their own. Self-control may be a gift, but it is also a skill we all need to continue to work on. I know I do.

So, like anything that requires discipline, I take each day as the challenge that it can be, in some way or other, and do my best. I pray for more self-control at times. At other times I simply give up and indulge. I have been told that needing to hire a uhaul trailer to take birthday and Christmas gifts to my grandson may be a bit much. But how do I stop my shopping and indulging in finding things for Damon on those days when my self-control is running low? I know I don’t need to buy all those things, and I know he doesn’t need them all, but they are so cute and he would look so cute wearing or playing with them. I have to summon all my strength to find that self-control. And this whole shopping online thing just makes finding that self-control harder.

But, find it we must. To live in a world together one area of self-control we can all work on is where to find kindness. That may mean controlling our sharing of opinions. It may mean finding a compromise when we would prefer to do things our way. It looks different with each person and encounter. What it always looks like is using all the other gifts of the Spirit we have been given to make the world a better place.

So, go ahead and lose all self-control when it comes to using the other gifts of the Spirit. Over indulge in kindness and generosity, in practicing patience and love, in showing peace and love. These things show our faithfulness to the One who created us and offers us unconditional love, even when we lose our self-control and forget we have the other gifts of the Spirit at our disposal.

Peace,
Rev. Mary-Jane