Self-control is a skill that helps us make good choices in our lives. It's like having a strong captain steering a ship, keeping it on the right path even when there are big waves or strong winds trying to push it off course.

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Self-control helps us think before we act, making sure we choose actions that are good for us and the people around us.

It's not always easy to have self-control. Sometimes, we might really want to do something, like eat a whole bag of cookies even when we know it's not good for us, or perhaps say something unkind in anger. But with self-control, we learn to stop, think, and choose a better action. This helps us grow stronger, kinder, and happier.

In our post today on Bible Stories About Self Control, we will share with you some accounts of individuals in the Bible who should a great deal of self control with supporting scriptures.

See also: Bible Stories About Kindness

What Does The Bible Say About Self Control

The Bible talks a lot about self-control because it's an important part of living a good and happy life. It teaches us that having self-control is a key part of being wise and making good choices. Here are five examples from the Bible:

• Self-control helps us avoid trouble.
• It is a fruit of the Spirit, which means it's a sign of living God's way.
• It leads to life and peace.
• It protects us like a city with strong walls.
• It's better than being powerful or rich because it helps us live well.

Download Bible Stories About Self-Control Infographics

6 Bible Stories About Self Control

Bible Hero #1: Joseph Says NO to Temptation

Okay, let me tell you about my favorite self-control champ: Joseph! Imagine this: Joseph’s brothers were so jealous of him, they sold him as a slave. But even when life got unfair, Joseph kept doing the right thing.

One day, Joseph worked for a man named Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife kept saying, “Psst… break the rules with me!” But Joseph refused. He said, “I won’t sin against God!” and ran away so fast, he probably left cartoon dust clouds behind! Even though he got in trouble for doing the right thing, God never forgot him.

Lesson for Us: Sometimes, doing the right thing feels super hard—like when you want to sneak candy before dinner or cheat in a game. But Joseph's action teaches us that: God sees your choices, even when no one else does!

Let’s Practice!

• Role-Play Time: Pretend you’re Joseph. If someone says, “Let’s peek at the test answers!” what do you do? (Hint: Run away like Joseph and shout, “NOPE!”)
• Ask Yourself: “Would this make God smile… or sad?”

Bible Hero #2: David Doesn’t Fight Mean with Mean

Next up: David! You know, the guy who beat Goliath with a slingshot? Well, King Saul (the actual king) got jealous of David and tried to… wait for it… kill him. Yep, that kind of jealous.

One night, David sneaked into Saul’s camp. His friends whispered, “This is your chance! Take him out!” But David said, “No way—God chose Saul as king. I’ll let God handle this.” And guess what? Later, God made David king instead!

Lesson for Us: When someone’s mean to you, it’s tempting to hit back or say something sassy. But David shows us: Walking away or staying kind is way braver than fighting.

Let’s Talk!

• Think: Has someone ever been unkind to you? What’s one way you could “let God handle it” instead?
• Cool Fact: David wrote songs (psalms!) to calm his anger. Maybe you could draw or sing when you’re upset too!

Bible Hero #3: Daniel’s Veggie Power

Meet Daniel! He and his friends got captured and taken to a fancy palace (Babylon). The king offered them royal junk food—think mega-burgers and cake for every meal! But Daniel said, “No thanks! We’ll eat veggies and water, please.”

The career thought they’d get weak, but guess what? After 10 days, Daniel’s crew looked healthier than the others! God blessed their self-control.

Lesson for Us: The Bible says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom - Proverbs 9:10". Daniel and his friends chose to honor God first, and God gave them the strength and wisdom they needed. Just like Daniel, we can ask God for help to make choices that honor Him—whether it’s saying “no” to junk food, “no” to cheating, or “yes” to kindness!

Let’s Do This!

• Draw It: Grab crayons and sketch two plates: one with “Daniel’s Superfoods” (veggies, water) and one with “King’s Junk Food” (cupcakes, fries). Which makes you feel stronger?
• Challenge: Try a “Daniel Day” with your family—eat veggies, drink water, and talk about how it feels!

Bible Hero #4: Jesus’ Desert Test (Matthew 4:1-11)

Okay, let’s talk about Jesus! Imagine being stuck in a desert for 40 days with no food. You’d be hangry, right? Well, Satan showed up and tried to trick Jesus into making bad choices:

1. “Turn rocks into bread!” (Jesus: “Nope! God’s Word is more important than food!”)
2. “Jump off this temple—angels will save you!” (Jesus: “Don’t test God!”)
3. “I’ll give you ALL the kingdoms if you worship me!” (Jesus: “Away from me, Satan! I only serve and worship my Father in Heaven!”)

Lesson for Us: When temptation knocks, fight back with God's word! Memorize a verse like “God is my helper!” (Psalm 54:4) to stay strong.

Let’s Practice!

• Memory Verse Challenge: Write “Trust God!” on sticky notes and put them where you’ll see them (fridge, backpack, tablet!).
• Snack Time Truth: Next time you’re tempted to sneak candy, say Jesus’ line: “Man does NOT live by snacks alone!” (Kid-version of Matthew 4:4).

Bible Hero #5: The Forgiving Dad (Luke 15:11-32)

So, there’s this story about a dad with two sons. The younger one said, “Give me ALL your money NOW!” and ran off to waste it. When he came home broke and ashamed, guess what his dad did? Ran to hug him instead of yelling!

Lesson for Us: Self-control isn’t just about saying “no” to bad stuff—it’s also about saying “YES” to kindness, even when you’re hurt.

Let’s Talk!

• Think: Has someone ever said sorry to you? How did you respond?
• Act It Out: Pretend you’re the dad. Practice saying, “I forgive you!” with a giant hug.

Oops Moment: Samson’s Bad Choices (Judges 16)

Meet Samson—super strong, but super stubborn! God gave him crazy strength to fight lions and armies, but Samson kept making bad choices:

• He told secrets to the wrong people.
• He let anger control him.
• He ignored God’s warnings.

In the end, he lost his strength and even his eyesight! But guess what? God still forgave him when Samson finally asked for help.

Lesson for Us: Bad choices can hurt us and others. Ask God for help before you act!

Let’s Do This!

• Superhero Pose: Stand like “Strong Samson” (arms flexed!), then crumble like “Weak Samson.” Talk about times you felt strong/weak.
• Prayer Prompt: “God, help me make wise choices today. Amen!”

How to Be a Self-Control Superhero!

Here’s your action plan:

1. Pause & Pray: When you’re upset, count to 5 and whisper, “Help me, God!”
2. Think First: Ask, “Will this hurt someone? Will it make God happy?”
3. Buddy Up: Tell a friend or parent, “Remind me to stay strong when I’m tempted!”
4. Always Thank God: Every time you practice self-control, always say thank you Lord.

Bible Promise: “God’s Spirit gives us POWER, LOVE, and SELF-CONTROL!” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Family Fun Time!

• Self-Control Star Chart: Draw a chart and add a star each time you make a wise choice. 10 stars = family movie night!
• Story Swap: Share a time you practiced self-control this week. Did you walk away from a fight? Share toys? Resist a tantrum?

20 Bible Verses About Self Control

1. Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."
2. 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
3. Proverbs 25:28 - "Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control."
4. 1 Corinthians 9:27 - "But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."
5. Titus 2:11-12 - "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
6. Proverbs 16:32 - "Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city."
7. 1 Peter 4:7 - "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray."
8. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
9. Titus 1:8 - "Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined."
10. 2 Peter 1:5-6 - "For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness."
11. Proverbs 29:11 - "Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end."
12. Ephesians 4:26-27 - "In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
13. James 1:19-20 - "My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."
14. Galatians 5:16 - "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."
15. Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
16. Proverbs 17:27 - "The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered."
17. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
18. James 3:2 - "We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check."
19. 1 Peter 1:13 - "Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming."
20. Proverbs 21:23 - "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity."

15 Christian Quotes About Self Control

• "Self-control is the chief element in self-respect, and self-respect is the chief element in courage."
• "He who reigns within himself and rules passions, desires, and fears is more than a king."
• "Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power."
• "By constant self-discipline and self-control, you can develop greatness of character."
• "The ability to discipline yourself to delay gratification in the short term in order to enjoy greater rewards in the long term is the indispensable prerequisite for success."
• "Self-control is the quality that distinguishes the fittest to survive."
• "Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose – and commit myself to – what is best for me."
• "The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment."
• "True freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline."
• "The first and best victory is to conquer self."
• "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
• "To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.”
• "Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily."
• "Self-control might be as passionate and as active as the surrender to passion."
• "Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power."

Conclusion: You’ve Got This!

Let’s recap our self-control superheroes:

• Joseph ran from temptation.
• David chose kindness over revenge.
• Daniel picked veggies over junk.
• Jesus fought Satan with God’s Word.
• The Dad forgave instead of freaking out.

Next time you’re tempted to yell, sneak, or quit—remember: God’s Spirit lives in YOU! You’re stronger than you think.

Closing Prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for being my helper. When I’m tempted, remind me to pause, pray, and choose what’s right. Help me be a self-control superhero today! Amen.”

FAQs on Bible Stories About Self Control

What is self-control in the Bible?

Self-control in the Bible refers to the ability to control one's actions, thoughts, and feelings according to God's will. It's a part of living a good life and is considered a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Why is self-control important?

Self-control is important because it helps us make good choices, avoid sin, and live in a way that pleases God. It also helps us live peacefully with others.

Can anyone have self-control?

Yes, everyone can grow in self-control, but it often takes practice and asking God for help. It's like a muscle that gets stronger the more you use it.

How can I improve my self-control?

Improving self-control can start with small steps, like thinking before acting or asking for God's help in difficult moments. Learning from the Bible and following Jesus' example are great ways to grow in self-control.

Is self-control only about avoiding bad things?

No, self-control is also about choosing to do good things, even when it's hard. It's about controlling our desires to do things God's way.

Does God help us with self-control?

Yes, God helps us by giving us the Holy Spirit, who helps us grow in self-control and all the fruits of the Spirit.