He's tired of sitting still. He's been sitting still the entire time she applied the braces. Now, there was one more appliance to install. His leg started to twitch, and his head swayed slightly. He had no more self control.
"No, I said sit still." She is losing patience. I hear the strain in her voice, trying to maintain professional courtesy. And, he's already lost his ability to stay still.
The situation is deteriorating quickly.
"Could he have a few minutes to get the wiggles out?" I plead, hoping to alleviate some tension for both of them.
He sighs. She agrees.
Stretching tall, he looks at me, shakes his head, and takes a few steps around the room.
He returns shortly, and so does she, but she isn't alone. She has recruited a helper to restrain his fidgeting. The helper wasn't harsh or mean. In fact, she was gentle, but firm. Acting to control his movements, she took up where his self control left off, and together the appliance was installed and he was done.
Through it all, I thought of how often I try to restrain my own actions or thoughts, and how ineffective I am alone. I need a helper. I need the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to produce self control.
~ Dorie
This post is the seventeenth in a series of posts pondering the fruit of the Spirit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
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