Prayers to cultivate the spiritual fruit of self-control
Written by Vivian Bricker
Bible reading:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Listen or read below:
Many of my college friends are married and have families. I was walking with one of my friends and her 8-month-old baby, and while we were talking, her baby started crying. It wasn’t a faint sniffling sound, it was an avalanche of tears, the shaking of a baby’s fist, and a scream that would break anyone’s heart. My friend’s baby is not feeling well and I wanted to let everyone know.
She calmed the baby and eventually the baby fell asleep again. But I couldn’t help but think back to how, as adults, we have always felt like our friends’ babies. We wanted to cry, kick and scream, but we developed self-control and didn’t. Throughout our childhood, we are taught by our parents the importance of controlling anger, anger, and emotions.
But as we grow older, our self-control can be tested in other ways. For some people, this may mean not being able to say no to peer pressure. A friend of mine had a really hard time saying no to drinking in college. I didn’t like how drinking made me feel, but I continued drinking because I believed it made people “cool.” He kept telling me that he wished he had the self-control to say “no” and walk away from this group of friends, but he still continued to spend time with them.
Over time, this problem grew and he struggled not only to say “no” to his friends, but also to say “no” to alcohol. After years of struggle, he finally entered recovery and has now been sober for two years. He attributes his sobriety to the work of God in his life and the help of the Holy Spirit in developing self-control.
The Apostle Paul lists nine fruits of the Spirit that are given to us: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control, against which there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23) Self-control is the last fruit of the Spirit, but one of the most difficult to cultivate in our lives.
That’s why we need the help of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can help us fully develop the fruits listed in Galatians 5:22-23. The Greek word for self-control is ekrateia. Exkratia and its variant enkratia can be translated as “the mastery of desires, impulses, and habits by the spirit so that it serves rather than dominates believers” (Topic Dictionary).
Self-control can be difficult, but it is not impossible to cultivate in your Christian walk. How do I need help developing self-control? You may need help controlling your anger, the urge to overbuy, or the temptation to manage your emotions with drugs. Take these concerns to God today and ask His Spirit to cultivate self-control in your life.
The road is long, but God will be with you every step of the way. When anger, temptation, and desire are too strong, cry out to God. Acknowledge your dependence on God by humbling yourself under His mighty hand (James 4:10). God will lift you up and bring you back to a solid place.
Let’s pray:
Dear Holy Spirit,
I don’t have good self-control. I tend to get angry over trivial things and lash out at people. We also have problems with spending money on things we don’t need and suppressing sinful fleshly urges. Help me to develop self-control starting today. Living a life without self-control will only hinder your walk with Christ. Give me the ability to control my desires, impulses, habits, and desires.
The only thing that truly brings me joy is walking in accordance with the Bible. Walking in union with my sinful body only left me feeling empty and brought to a climax. Give me the opportunity to develop self-control and overcome all desires, urges, and challenges. I believe you are capable of all these things and more.
In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
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Vivian Bricker earned a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry and then a Master of Arts with an emphasis in Theology. She loves theology, ministry, and all things helping others learn about Jesus. Check out more of her content on Cultivate.
Related resource: Establish a rest routine
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence. It was something that was earned, something that felt vaguely embarrassing, and something that productive, loyal people didn’t really need. In a world where we measure our worth by our accomplishments, the idea of stopping feels dangerously backwards.
But what if rest isn’t an option? What if it was never meant to be? Forget about the hustle and bustle tonight. Receive a gift. This is exactly what you were created for. Your Nightly Prayer is a daily Christian prayer podcast brought to you by LifeAudio Podcast Network and Crosswalk.com. Each night, the team at Crosswalk.com brings you devotions and prayers to help you end your day with a conversation with God. May these night prayers help you find the words to pray and focus your heart and mind on God’s love at the end of the day. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode.
