Self-control is the ability to subdue our impulses in order to achieve longer-term goals. It’s the ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses.
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your selfcontrol, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you (2 Peter 1:5-11, NASB).
As Christians we are to have self-control and self-discipline. This does not happen without effort and determination to achieve it. People don’t accidently have great self-control, they work at it by controlling the things they think about and how they think. If you are prone to lust, eat too much, neglect your prayer life and Bible study then you are in need of self-control. You need to control your thoughts and actions deliberately. We all tend to fail at times in various ways relative to this, but know this: we all have the ability to overcome this tendency when our will to please God outweighs our selfishness.
Decide today that you will control your thoughts and yourself to bring your thinking and actions into accord with God’s will. Govern your conduct and activities by knowing God’s word and using it as your guide.
Like a city that is broken into and without walls is a man who has no control over his spirit (Proverbs 25:28, NASB).
For the elders, Gary Woodall