Dear Southport U.M.C.,
Let’s start with a round of applause for our assistant pastor, Brandon! If you were in worship last week, you already know—he preached with incredible courage and a prophetic voice that challenged and inspired. You may not have agreed with everything he said, and that’s okay. But what matters most is that his words pointed us toward God’s greater call to justice in all situations. If you missed it, I encourage you to watch his message online on YouTube or our church website. It’s a sermon that will make you think, pray, and wrestle with what it means to live out our faith.
Now, let’s talk about something that’s about as easy to master as carrying a full cup of coffee without spilling—a little thing called self-control.
Galatians 5:22-23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” That last one, self-control, is the one we often wrestle with the most. It’s easy to say, “I’ll be patient and kind,” but when someone cuts us off in traffic or eats the last piece of cake we were saving… well, let’s just say the fruit of the Spirit can feel more like a work in progress.
And yet, self-control is what keeps us focused on the mission God has given us. It’s the quiet strength to pause before reacting in anger, the discipline to stay present in hard conversations, the grace to keep loving when it’s inconvenient. It’s not about willpower alone but about leaning into the Spirit, trusting that God is shaping us for something greater.
The more we practice it, the more we realize—self-control isn’t about restriction, but about freedom to live as the people God calls us to be.
Grace and peace,
Rev. William G. Nickrand
