Mastery of Passion: Why the Strong Still Fall
Success often brings fame. Fame brings power. Power opens the door to lust. And unchecked lust exposes our flaws, invites temptations, and quietly leads us to destruction.
It puzzles me how some men can manage large institutions, run nations, and solve complex managerial problems, yet fail miserably in handling personal weaknesses like alcohol, cigarettes, sexual addiction, and other self-destructive habits. They take pride in seducing women, unaware—or perhaps helplessly aware—that they are victims of a habit they can’t control. Their greatest enemy isn’t outside; it’s the lack of mastery of passion within.
What’s worse is knowing the consequence of a lust-driven decision and still going ahead to do it. Why? Because such a man is a slave to his own body. He’s not in control; his urges are.
Look at Samson. He had the strength to kill a lion and defeat a thousand Philistines, yet he couldn’t defeat the lust that led him to Delilah. He was mighty in battle but weak in self-control. Or consider David, the shepherd boy who brought down Goliath and guided Israel to military victories. Yet, when he saw Bathsheba bathing, he couldn’t conquer his desire. He who conquered nations could not conquer his eyes.
Who are we fooling? God? Others? Ourselves?
We say we are free, but our actions show we are enslaved and trapped by our uncontrolled appetites. That’s why Apostle Paul wrote, “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” And Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.”
In the end, it’s rarely the enemy that kills us. It’s the things we allow within ourselves—the habits we excuse, the passions we entertain, and the cravings we refuse to control.
A man may live long, yet waste his youth and joy if he lacks self-discipline. That’s why I pray: Let me live long, but never lose myself while living.
Remember:
The happiness of a man is often lightened by the mastery of his passion. Control your passion, or else it will lead you to destruction.
