A wise writer once said, “Like a city whose walls are broken, so is a person who lacks self-control.” This was showing how dangerous it is to live without self-control and how much risk it poses for the individual. Our neighbors may be at risk of being victims, but the writer seems to point out that we should never take for granted how defenseless a person with no self-control is because it makes him or her extremely vulnerable to falling into things that they will often regret or things that will get them into trouble. Lacking self-control is never a secure trait in the life of anybody, as it gives no rest because one has to always be mending things they fumble with. The Psalmist reminds us that we need to exercise self-control and be intentional with keeping ourselves in check. We need to learn to say no to self and set boundaries for ourselves in speech, action, thoughts, and desires so that we stay on a good path.

Give us strength, Oh Lord, through your spirit, and help us through your spirit to bear the fruit of self-control in our lives.