Devotional: The Vibe of Self Control
Much like the vibe of faithfulness, a message about ‘self-control’ can seem legalistic and rigid on the surface. However, like faithfulness, it is not our own effort that accomplishes this. The Holy Spirit, with the power he provides to us and the discernment that he frames our lives with, gives us self-control. And this self-control is not a “straight jacket” that is preventing us from doing what we actually want to do. Rather, Spirit-led self-control is discernment that frees us up from ourselves, and therefore frees us up to be the person that God has called us to be.
Questions for Meditation
- What is self-control? What are its opposites?
- What is the vibe of self-control?
- What are the consequences of losing self-control? What is an instance where it is easy for you to lose self-control? What would it look like to invite the Spirit to control our response to this situation?
- What is the “ego”, and why is it so damaging to self-control?
- What is self-awareness, and why is it so important for self-control?
- Why is grace essential to self-control? What would it look like to invite this grace into your life through the Holy Spirit?
- What is an area in your life that remains uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit? What would it look like to yield to the Spirit in this area?