Self-Control

I’ve heard it said that you can never truly own something until you’ve had to fight for it. Maybe this was simply a lesson in not giving up, in believing in Him even when nothing makes sense, even when He seems to have turned a deaf ear to our cries.
Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 1388-1390). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition.


Bang on the door until all of Heaven pleads with Him to do something about your noise. And focus on His face; that’s where the truth is. Don’t ever look away from His face.
Doughty, Becky (2011-07-01). Life Letters: The Fruit of the Spirit (Kindle Locations 1393-1394). BraveHearts Press. Kindle Edition.  

Luke 11:9-10

The Message (MSG)

 ⁹"Here's what I'm saying:

   Ask and you'll get;
   Seek and you'll find;
   Knock and the door will open.

 ^10-13"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

I've always thought of self-control as the ability to STOP yourself from doing something. But maybe that's not ALL it is.  Maybe it's also the ability to KEEP doing something, not quitting when it makes more sense to give up.

2 Timothy 1:7

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.