EXERCISE SELF-CONTROL

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls. (Proverbs 25:28 King James Bible)

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.(Proverbs 25:28 English Standard Version)

Self-control is the ability of someone to control his/her temperament in the face of challenges and confrontations. Many people will overact when somebody insults or offends them. Road rage is an example of the inability to control one's self. Why would somebody cause injury to another person or property just because somebody crosses them on the road. Are these people insane? Not really! They just snap and fail to exercise self-control. They act irrationally and become chaotic. They are like "a city broken into and left without walls." There is no rule of law. Anything goes attitude. They cannot suppress the self and the animalistic behavior set in. How do you control your anger, hunger, sexual appetite, thought processes, feelings, etc. ? Do you allow them to go beyond control? Are you able to suppress evil and wicked thoughts? When somebody hurts you, do you plan to repay by hurting them?
If you do, you are not exercising self-control. 

Proverbs 16:32 says, "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city. Patience is a virtue that has to be desired. It is a powerful weapon that can be used to defeat, oppose or overcome adverse situations. When you are patient in times of adversities, you are able to think right and to make the right judgments. Patience takes you out of troubles. Before you act, you think through the consequences of your actions. Patience is an attitude that the world has taken for granted. We look at patient people as if they are weak yet this is one of the greatest virtues that one must yearn for. We leave in the fast and drive-through world where we want instant answers and actions for everything. We act quickly and in the end, we end up with more problems to fix. I pray that you will learn to be patient as you face difficult and challenging situations. 

Learn to control your temperaments by stopping, thinking, and acting right. Give yourself time to reflection on your anticipated actions. "Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. " (Proverbs 12:16)

Whatever actions you take, ask yourself if it would bring glory to God. May you be that city that has walls that cannot be broken in times of needs and challenges.