An Invisible Virtue

When you think about self control, what comes to mind?  I imagine some type of physical self denial, like not eating something or not buying something. It is always something I don’t do, not something I choose to do. I don’t think of self control as a choice that goes on invisibly, in my thoughts and beliefs.

Let me explain. I once heard someone describe self control as an invisible virtue. Intrigued, I spent more time thinking about it and saw the truth in this. There is a lot more to self control than just denying yourself an extra piece of chocolate or a new DVD.

What about the self control of choosing to say something kind when you’d rather respond out of irritation? What about controlling your thoughts when they drift into materialistic desires and wants? We exercise a great deal of self control when we choose to believe the truth about God rather than being swayed by our fears and doubts. These are invisible exchanges that we have in our minds every day. No one sees or hears these decisions we are constantly making. Even we ourselves are frequently inattentive to them. If we don’t learn to make these choices consciously and intentionally, the muscle of self control will atrophy.

In the moments when we choose to believe that God is good, that He is for us, that He is always working on our behalf, we develop self control by what we allow ourselves to think.  This adds muscle to our faith. The same thing happens when we choose what to believe about the people around us. We build a “way of being” that becomes a habit. Disciplines, habits and beliefs come from choosing truth over and over in our daily thoughts. This is the way we build strength to automatically respond kindly when given a choice in how to think about God, how to behave and how to treat others. It is invisible while it is happening. No one sees the choices in your mind. It is between you, your thoughts and God. And, it is the practical application of self control.

I can’t help but think that as we become stronger in controlling our selfish attitudes and behaviors that this invisible virtue will spill out and be seen. Isn’t this how we grow and mature anyway… by hundreds of little choices that we make throughout our lives? It is the invisible choices, and the self control to make them that God uses to form us into His likeness. It is His likeness in our character (or lack thereof) that others experience through us. Our comments, insights, conversations and personality represent us to the world and to those around us.

Peter sums it up through the qualities that he encourages fellow Christians to develop:

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 1:5-8.

The qualities that Peter describes build upon each other and lead to a deeper knowledge of Jesus. The “very reason” that he refers to is the privilege of growing in the nature of God and in the knowledge of Jesus.  My smallest, most invisible choices are what bring me closer to the grandeur of God.