Listen to this articleToday we will be discussing the Fruit of the Spirit known as temperance or self-control. This fruit is often overlooked but it is essential for our spiritual growth and walk with God. Let us delve into the scriptures and see what God has to say about this important topic.
First, let us define what temperance means. The dictionary defines it as “the ability to control oneself, one’s actions, and one’s feelings.” In other words, self-control is the ability to regulate our behavior, emotions, and desires.
One of the best examples of self-control in the Bible is found in the book of Daniel. When Daniel was taken captive and brought to Babylon, he was offered the king’s delicacies and wine. However, he refused to eat and drink what was offered to him because it was against God’s law. Instead, he requested to be given only vegetables and water. Daniel showed tremendous self-control by denying himself the pleasure of the king’s food and drink. In the end, God blessed Daniel and his companions, and they became healthier and stronger than the others who had eaten the king’s delicacies.
Another example of self-control is found in the life of Joseph. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but he rose to become a powerful ruler in Egypt. When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt looking for food during a famine, he had the power to take revenge on them. But instead, Joseph showed self-control by forgiving them and treating them with kindness. In Genesis 45:5, Joseph tells his brothers, “Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”
We are called to exercise self-control in all aspects of our lives. We must control our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We must resist the temptation to indulge in sinful pleasures that can lead us away from God. Proverbs 25:28 says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” We need to guard our hearts and minds against the enemy’s attacks and be disciplined in our daily lives.
Temperance is an essential fruit of the Spirit that we need to cultivate in our lives. We can learn from the examples of Daniel and Joseph, who showed great self-control in difficult circumstances. Let us pray for God’s help in developing this fruit in our lives so that we can resist the devil and draw closer to God. As it says in 2 Peter 1:5-7, “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”