Prayer Produces Self-Control

1 Peter 4, 7.

When I read this verse for today, what stands out to me is, for the sake of your prayers.

Peter writes that being self-controlled and sober-minded impacts our prayer lives.

I had never noticed this detail before, and it seems significant.

Commentator William Barclay puts it like this.

He says that we must do this, practice self-control, in order to pray as we ought.

We might render it, preserve your prayer life.

When a man's mind is unbalanced and his approach to life is frivolous and irresponsible, he cannot pray as he ought.

We learn to pray only when we take life so wisely and so seriously that we begin to say in all things, thy will be done.

The first necessity of prayer is the earnest desire to discover the will of God for ourselves.

Barclay's notes on this passage stopped me in my tracks.

We must be on guard to protect our prayer life.

It's this idea of guarding or protecting that really stands out to me.

It makes me think of Proverbs 25, 28.

A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.

Self-control is one of our defenses in the battle.

The enemy wants nothing more than to keep us from praying, especially as moms.

We need to guard against anything he does to prevent us from praying for our children.

Barclay argues that through the fruit of self-control, we can preserve our prayer life.

It's so true that our prayer life can be deeply impacted by our lack of self-control.

When we live as if surrendered to the flesh instead of to the spirit, we can feel defeated, guilty, or shameful.

However, As Paul wrote to Timothy, For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1.7 Something to think about.

It is interesting that self-control is the last or final fruit that Paul lists in Galatians 5.22-23.

When I read the list, I like to think that the order is intentional.