Self-control.

In one of my classes last semester, a few of my classmates and I were talking about my road-rage issue.  We were all joking about it and then one of my classmates told me that I had self-control.  Profound.

Honestly, I never thought of that.  I always just blamed it on my personality and thought it was some inherent part of me that I could not change.  Even though, I wanted to change it - or at least I thought I did, I was convinced that it was something beyond my control.  But, all it took was my classmate telling me that I had self-control for me to actually realize that I do.  So, I've been working on it - every time I want to yell about traffic or the person that cut me off, I try to think, "No. You have self-control."  For me, it's road rage - for you, probably something different. 

My roommate and I were talking about this recently; she brought up an aspect of her "personality" that she thinks that she can't change.  To be honest, she can - she has self-control.  I could feel her trying to explain it away - claiming that maybe that can't be part of her.  But, we have the Fruits of the Spirit.  She has self-control; it is up to her to exercise it.  The part of her personality that she feels that she cannot change or will just have to deal with or ignore is significant, but it has no authority in her life.  The Spirit in her life is superior.  The Spirit in my life is superior.  

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

-Galatians 5:22-23