Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city. - Proverbs 16:32
Why can’t I lose weight? Why can’t I get in shape? Why can’t I consistently spend time with God? Why can’t I get out of debt? Why can’t I break this bad habit? Maybe it is because of a lack of self-control. Could it be that many, if not most, of our personal problems are caused by a lack of self-control?
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art is of ending.”
Somewhere past the starting point a problem exists. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a genie who could help us finish what we start? Or, an angel that would protect us from falling into the snares of the evil one? Or, a guide that would direct us on the straight and narrow path of godly upright behavior? Unfortunately, we don’t have those available to us. But we do possess the inner dynamic of self-control, which is a needed and essential virtue for effective living.
Self-control is one of the best friends we can have. It is one of the best friends we can introduce to our kids. It will enable us to become the persons we want to be and to perform the activities we want to do. We need to cherish this friend always. It is a real lifesaver.
Yet self-control extracts a high price. Following one of the famed Polish concert pianist Ignace Paderewski’s outstanding performances, a fan said to him, “I’d give my life to play like that.” The brilliant pianist replied, “I did.” On another occasion Paderewski was asked by a fellow pianist if he could be ready to play a recital on short notice. The famous musician replied, “I am always ready. I have practiced eight hours daily for forty years.” The other pianist said, “I wish I had been born with such determination.” Paderewski replied, “We are all born with it. I just used mine.”
The point is not that we could all become concert pianists just by exercising enough self-control. But when it comes to effective living we each have the makings of triumph, if we will apply our wills and come under God’s control and pay the price.
Why can’t I lose weight? Why can’t I get in shape? Why can’t I consistently spend time with God? Why can’t I get out of debt? Why can’t I break this bad habit? Maybe it is because of a lack of self-control. Could it be that many, if not most, of our personal problems are caused by a lack of self-control?
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: “Great is the art of beginning, but greater the art is of ending.”
Somewhere past the starting point a problem exists. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a genie who could help us finish what we start? Or, an angel that would protect us from falling into the snares of the evil one? Or, a guide that would direct us on the straight and narrow path of godly upright behavior? Unfortunately, we don’t have those available to us. But we do possess the inner dynamic of self-control, which is a needed and essential virtue for effective living.
Self-control is one of the best friends we can have. It is one of the best friends we can introduce to our kids. It will enable us to become the persons we want to be and to perform the activities we want to do. We need to cherish this friend always. It is a real lifesaver.
Yet self-control extracts a high price. Following one of the famed Polish concert pianist Ignace Paderewski’s outstanding performances, a fan said to him, “I’d give my life to play like that.” The brilliant pianist replied, “I did.” On another occasion Paderewski was asked by a fellow pianist if he could be ready to play a recital on short notice. The famous musician replied, “I am always ready. I have practiced eight hours daily for forty years.” The other pianist said, “I wish I had been born with such determination.” Paderewski replied, “We are all born with it. I just used mine.”
The point is not that we could all become concert pianists just by exercising enough self-control. But when it comes to effective living we each have the makings of triumph, if we will apply our wills and come under God’s control and pay the price.
