2 Peter 1:5-6 KJV
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness”
Comments: Have you ever noticed how we prefer to blame our character flaws on our circumstances? We blame our issues on a bad childhood, financial hardships, or the faults of others. Your circumstances may be out of your hands, but not your character. You can’t blame your character flaws on circumstances any more than you can blame your appearance on a mirror.
Integrity is always a choice, and every time you make a decision based on your character, you advance spiritually. Consider how you’ve dealt with temptation and adversity in the past. Make a list of them, and next to each one, write down your decision: to flee, excuse, capitulate, avoid, persevere, or overcome. If the events you named were caused by circumstances beyond your control, make the decision to gain more control over your life. How? ‘By bolstering your arsenal with… self-control.’ Our lives are like icebergs in that only 15% of them are visible; this is our reputation. The rest of our personality is concealed behind the surface. What we think but don’t necessarily communicate is character. It’s based on what we do when no one is looking, how we deal with life’s minor annoyances, and how we deal with failure—and success.
“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” Joshua challenged Israel at the close of a magnificent career. “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15 NIV) Self-control is the foundation of character, and self-control is all about making the correct decisions. The good news is that you don’t have to go it alone: “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13 CEV