The last of nine, the anchor tight, The bridge that holds the rest alight— Without this guard, the fruits take flight, A scattered spark that fades at night.

When passions roar and tempers rise, And impulse pulls toward the prize, The Spirit whispers: “Wait, be wise, There’s strength within this sacrifice.”

Not chains that bind, but wings that soar, Not weakness, but the greater power. To choose what’s right when wrong feels sweet, To walk the path with steady feet.

For Jesus faced the desert dry, And all the world had to deny. And in that garden, heavy-breathed, He chose the cross instead of ease.

Self-control is love in action made, The fruit that lets all others stay. It speaks before the angry word, It turns when others push toward sin.

O Lord, grant me this guard today, To pause before I run astray. To hold my tongue and tame my heart, That I may finish what I start.

The last of gifts, yet first of needs, The seed from which the Spirit feeds. Grow this fruit within my soul, And make me complete, make me whole.

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Self-control is the ninth and final fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the strength to restrain our impulses and choose what’s right, even when what’s wrong feels easier. All the other fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness—are held together and made effective through self-control. Without it, even the best intentions scatter and fade.