Our Blog

By: Pastor Schlicht

It was a cruel test. 67 college students were told to skip a meal. They were then invited to sit down at a table spread with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and plain radishes. The first group of students could eat whatever they wanted and, of course, they dug into the warm chocolate chip cookies. The second group of students, the unlucky ones, sat down at the same table, but could only eat the radishes. The third group was the control group and were not given any food at all. After this silly exercise the students were led into another room and given a geometric puzzle to solve. The problem was unsolvable, as the students would later find out, because the scientists were merely timing how long the test groups would last before giving up. The test was cruel but effective. The students in the cookie group and the control group worked for an average of 20 minutes on the impossible problem, while students in the radish group only worked for 8 minutes before giving up. In other words, those who had to resist the sweets and force themselves to eat plain radishes no longer had the will to work at another excruciating exercise. They had used up their self-control on the cookies.

This odd little experiment, conducted in 1996 by Psychologist Roy Baumeister, was a breakthrough in the psychology of self-control. His findings show that self-control can be depleted and refilled. What was once thought to be an inherent character trait, with which some are blessed and some are bereft, was discovered to be a universal resource. They found that self-control was less a trait and more like a muscle, something that is weakened after use but grows stronger with regular exercise.

The Bible talks a lot about self-control. It is a fruit of the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-23) A person who lacks it is like a “city without walls,” i.e. easily defeated (Pro 25:28). It’s something church leaders should have. (Titus 1:8) Even the apostle Paul longed for more of it: “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” (Ro 7:18) It is sin in us that inspires us to be lazy, impulsive, and a friend of temptation. As Paul continued to explain, “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” (Ro 7:20) This doesn’t equate to a simple correlation of faith and self-control. No, there are many who do not profess to be Christians who have great self-control. But it is a virtue the faithful are called to pursue. So what is the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian when it comes to self-control? Two main distinctions:

1. We have a different scope of self-control. Biblically, self-control is to include the deepest part of us: our hearts. Morally and physically, in every aspect of our life, God’s desire is self-control.
2. We have a different motivation for self-control. We no longer desire to be self-controlled just to fit into the dress or balance the budget. Self-control that is a fruit of the Spirit cannot be selfishly motivated; it is lead and directed by the Holy Spirit to glorify God and serve others.

These distinctions must always be maintained, but the blessing all people have in common regarding self-control is that God did not create some with and some without. Each of us can exercise self-control and make it stronger. We don’t have to accept our weaknesses; instead, we have an effective way to work on them.

So get ready to work out, Christian! Having a plan and starting out small is essential when starting an exercise regimen. A short prayer said every morning can lead to a meditating on a Bible verse for 5 minutes, which can later blossom into 15. Sit down and write out a plan for the area of self-control you wish to strengthen. Be realistic and once you’ve formed a habit, try to add something else. It is up to you to plan the regimen but do so with confidence that your muscles will grow! Also remember that just like a muscle, our self-control is often weakest when we are tired. Try shutting off the computer after 8:00pm—don’t give the devil a foothold! (Eph 4:17) After a really stressful day of self-control at work, let your children know how you’re feeling and ask them to help you maintain self-control. Your own pursuit of self-control will speak volumes. You can even celebrate your self-control. No spiritual cheat days obviously, but perhaps a night at the theater can mark a month of sobriety? Maybe a large cinnamon roll is in order after three weeks of social media control?

Finally, no matter how strong or weak your self-control may be, fix your eyes on Christ. Remember, for 33 years Jesus maintained perfect self-control in thought, word, or deed for our sake. And he was still in control when he willingly laid down his life for us. Jesus’ blood has paid for our sins of weakness and indulgence. It is in his love that we find joy and determination in exercising self-control.