The Prelude of Love, The Journey of Faith: Part 4 - Self-Control

"... and to Knowledge, Self-Control ..."
-2 Peter 1:6

Those of you who have read my last post may have realized that I left a critical part of Knowledge out. Wisdom. I really didn't know where to put Wisdom, as a Virtue, as a part of Knowledge, or where, but it ties so perfectly in with the connection between Knowledge (The last section), Self-Control (this section), and Perseverance (the next section), that I decided to put it here.

I have known for a long while that Wisdom and Knowledge were both different and parts of one whole, but I never really "Knew" that until just recently.

One example of how they are intertwined is this, in my last post, I stated, Knowledge is an experience that grows and changes with time. It's something that changes you, changes you and makes you new! Knowledge changes you, but Wisdom gives direction to that change. Wisdom does not bring about that change by itself, anymore than a map or a memory will drive a car, but they are both vital in getting to where you need to be.

Wisdom shows you where to need to be going, Knowledge provides the energy to move, Perseverance brings the gumption to get moving, and Self-Control steers you to your destination.

An example would be this: Beginning Decemberber 2005, I made a commitment to God and myself. I stated that I would Read 2 Peter 1 (Knowledge) at least twice a day (Self-Control), continue to do that throughout the next 12 months (Perseverance), to attempt to increase my measures of each of the 8 steps stated in 2 Peter 1:5-7 every day (Perseverance again), and to have those changes evident in my life (Wisdom).

And so...

Self-Control

Before I get into Self-Control, one thing needs to be said. Do NOT try to be an undisciplined and "wishy-washy" Christian one day, and be a mighty, powerful, wise, and well-rooted Warrior for Christ the next. It doesn't work like that very often.

That's why Peter says to, "Possess these qualities in increasing measure..." (2 Peter 1:8). These qualitites are meant to be slowly and steadily poured on, not heaped on. Take a pinch of Faith, add to it a pinch of Virtue, add to that a pinch of Knowledge, and when you are all done, add to that Love a pinch more of Faith, etc... It's like lifting weights, you don't become stronger by straining against 1,000 pounds of weight on your first day, but by slowly working up to one goal, and then the next, and the next, etc.

I have a Friend, she has become one of my best Friends, but we were not always, the "Best of Friends." When I first met her, I knew that I would be honored to have her as a friend, but never even guessed at how good friends we would become. Over the course of time, we slowly (sometimes agonizingly so) got to know each other better and better. I'm really not even sure who reached out to whom, if I wanted her as a friend first, or if she wanted me as one first.

Regardless, we have slowly and constantly (Perseverance) been there when the other needed it (Goodness). I don't know if I have been there for her as much as she has for me, because she has been there every time I needed, but we have stuck together through thick and thin (Perseverance in Self-Control). When people have spread rumors about both of us, we have always trusted in the other (Faith), and as such have become privy to some of each other's pain and sorrows (Knowledge).

If we were all the way through this lesson, I would speak of how we have shared times and occasions through Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, and Love.

The same is true with God. In my last blog, it was stated, "I know [my friends] because of much more than awareness, much more than simple Facts and Figures, but through time spent with them, becoming their friends and taking them as my friends... We have seen Jesus weep. God Almighty has wept, and in full view of His friends. His friends know Him. We are His friends... Jesus has seen us weep... He is [our] friend."

Jesus showed the paragon of Self-Control in many different ways. He was hungry, and had the power to create bread from nothing, but did not, so that we would see Him and trust in His Father more. He could have simply whisked himself away from the crowds when they became overwhelming, but did not, so that they could see God. He could have ended His own suffering on the cross, but did not, so that we could truly know Him, and know that He is Lord of life and death.

There is a man I know, Pastor B. I have spoken of him before, and maybe even told his story, for he knows Self-Control. He is a Man of God, who was kicked out of his own church. When he found that those who had come against him began to have troubles and pain in their lives, he got on his knees and face, and prayed for the Lord to have mercy on them.

That is Self-Control.

I was kicked out of a church as well, and until I knew him, and knew his story, I could not even bring myself to think about the Pastors who had kicked me out. But as I got to know Pastor B. and his family, I began to see the fruit (in his own life) of the prayers for mercy.

"... And Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you."
-Matthew 6:12-14

... Just as we forgive those... do not fall into temptaion...if you forgive...your heavenly Father will forgive you.

The first thing we see here it that we must forgive others. Then Jesus seems to deviate from his train of thought for a moment into temptation, then goes back to forgiving. The question is this, in the context of Jesus' words, "What temptation are we likely to yeild to?" Forgive...don't yeild to temptation...Forgive.

How difficult is it sometimes, simply to forgive someone? Often it's hard. Always, it requires humbleness... and Self-Control. Forgiveness is never to be, "I, the great and mighty person forgive you of your unspeakable tresspass against me!" Rather it is an exersise in Self-Control, as a calm and loving,"I need to ask you about something. Did you mean to hurt me?" And in either response, Forgive. Or, if we don't learn to forgive immediately, it is an exersise in Self-Control and Humbleness, "I took offense at something, and I don't even know if you meant to hurt me, vut I do know that I sinned against you with my bitterness. Would you forgive me?"

This is Self-Control.

How difficult is it sometimes, simply to ask for forgiveness? Often it's hard. Always, it requires Humbleness and Self-Control. Humbleness to come and ask, and Self-Control to actually do it! "My friend, I hurt you, I did something against you. Please forgive me." or "I wronged you, I sinned. Would you forgive me?"

This is Self-Control.

A wise man once told me, "Knowledge puffs up." Self-Control takes so much Humbleness and requires that we "swallow" so much pride that it will counteract the pride of Knowledge, and bring us that much closer to Godliness and Love.

There are three people near my age that I call by absolute Best Friends. Two guys and one girl, all three from different backgrounds, each with different personalities. Yet, one thing connects them all. With each one, I have swallowed my pride and come to them for forgiveness.

This may fit better in the next step of Perseverance, but it also fits with Self-Control.

As I have studied this passage in 2 Peter more and more, I have grown to see how all of those who I can truly say that I Love, those Three True Friends, as well as Family, have all shared these things with me.

Faith (We share our Faith in Christ, and have shown Faith in one another)
Virtue (We have done things that show a "Moral Excellence" together)
Knowledge (We have grown in Knowledge of Christ together)
Self-Control (We have all sacrificed things [pride, time, etc.] for the other's sake)
Perseverance (We have stuck with eachother when it was sometimes difficult)

And through these, we have shared;

Godliness (We have all shared moments and memories that were difficult at took trust to share, and brought us closer to eachother and God) and
Brotherly Kindness (We have all been there for one another one we needed it)

And finally, we have come to;

Love (We Love eachother, as only brothers and sisters in Christ can Love)

Sometimes it has taken immense Self-Control to become and stay Friends with these three people. Two live across the country, and it is no easy thing to stay in touch with them, and I have had to swallow my pride many times with the third Friend. But it has been worth it!

"... and to Knowledge, Self-Control ..."
-2 Peter 1:6

When we do something to get closer to God, it alwasy seems to spill over into the rest of our lives.

Self-Control
Play a Game or go to Pray

Self-Control
Eat a pizza or fast and Pray

Self-Control
Forgive enemies or sin against God

Self-Control
Ask for forgiveness or keep our pride

Or, as Jesus put it,
Self-Control
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? -Mark 8:36

What good is anything, without Self-Control?

What good is it, if you win the World, but do not have Self-Control, and lose your life, your soul?

But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Against such things there is no law.
-Galatians 5:22-23

-David Shore