Self control

A thought occurred to me as I thought upon the fruits of the spirit.  The fruit of self control is just that, a fruit.  A fruit is the result of something else.  This means that self control is not a tool we use to accomplish something or to avoid doing something, it is the fruit of something, namely, the Holy Spirit.  This means that we as Christians, as we grow in our relationship with God, will see the fruit of self control.  As Orthodox Christians, we have told that we are to use to grow in holiness.  As we use these tools, the fruit will come.  The great thing about this is that as this fruit manifests itself, we will be even more strengthened to grow more in sanctity.  It's a great circle.
In a sense, we can say that it's not our great efforts of self control that will help us, but our life in the church, humbling ourselves under this authority and following the life of the church.