Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control.”
Ah to see more of the family of God growing in the fruit of
the Spirit; if there was an emphasis on this teaching in discipleship, we would
have fewer conflicts amongst the “family members”.
But there is one fruit I would like to expand on a bit, and
that is “Self Control”. The fruit of self control, is that fruit that teaches,
helps and guides us, in walking in the way of the Lord, learning and applying
the right responses to trials, and temptations, learning to apply God’s Word in
those difficult situations. It is in that sense, restraint.
What self control is not, is restraining yourself from fully
engaged worship! David worshiped the Lord with all his might, he got excited! (he
got emotional, gasp!)
True and unadulterated praise and worship before God, is allowing
the truth of His Word to engage our whole being, yes even our heart (or emotions)
to the point where hardness, bitterness, anxiety, unforgiveness, mistrust, and stubbornness
are broken, and we can experience the freedom God desires us to have in simply
trusting Him. This kind of deliverance effects the whole person, emotions
included; it’s ok to worship with your whole heart!
If a person’s pride cannot allow them to enter into
unrestrained worship, then the physical ailments that are caused by hardness,
bitterness, anxiety, unforgiveness, mistrust, and stubbornness, probably will
not go away, they probably will get worse. A quick, meaningless “ceiling level
prayer” for healing, is pointless, if you’re not yielding to Christ, and unlocking
the door to freedom in Christ, through worship.
Are you ready to shed the cares of this life and find
freedom though worship? I am!
