Friday, February 18, 2011

The Beauty of Self Control

We all struggle with self control on many different levels,
many especially with anger.
JR Miller had some thoughts on this:



There are men who rule other men and cannot rule themselves.

They are victorious in battle, but they cannot control their own temper, restrain their own speech, or hold in calm quiet their own spirits.

There is nothing beautiful in such a life. Nothing more effectually mars a life than fretfulness, discontent, worry, impatience. Nothing is more pitiful than a life made to be strong, kingly, noble, calm, peaceful, but which is, instead, the play of every excitement, every temper, every resentment, every appetite and passion.

Someone says, “Alexander conquered all the world, except — Alexander.”

Not only is self control strong — it is also beautiful.
Anger is not beautiful. Ungoverned temper is not lovely.
 Rage is demonic.
But a spirit calm, strong, and unflustered, amid storms of feeling and all manner of disturbing emotions,
is sublime in its beauty.

“A temper under control,
a heart subdued into tenderness and patience,
a voice cheerful with hope, and a countenance bright with kindness,
are invaluable possessions to any man or woman.”


-JR Miller, The Beauty of Self-Control



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