Control Yourself!: Practicing the Art of Self-Discipline by D.G. Kehl (published by Zondervan in 1982, ISBN: 0-310-45001-2) is a vintage Christian self-help and spiritual growth text. While it is out of print and mostly found through secondhand booksellers or digital archives, it remains a surprisingly structured and literate examination of self-mastery.
Overview & Core Premise
Unlike secular habit-building books that rely strictly on willpower or productivity hacks, Kehl approaches discipline through a theological and holistic framework. He argues that self-control is fundamentally a spiritual virtue (the ninth fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5) rather than a rigid, mechanical set of rules.
The book is structured into three main dimensions:
- Biblical Foundations & Models: Grounding discipline in biblical principles and examining historical and scriptural figures as models of self-restraint.
- Discipline of the Whole Self: Systematic breakdowns of specific human domains:
- The Mind: Controlling thoughts, focus, and mental dullness ("Renovating the Ruined Palace").
- The Heart: Managing and directing the seven major emotions (love, sorrow, guilt, jealousy, fear, anger, hate) constructively.
- The Body: Physical stewardship, health, rest, and mastering physical appetites.
- The Tongue: Speech, avoiding destructive words, and seasoning conversation with grace ("Exerting the Will on Jawbone Hill").
- Time: Time management and intentionality with daily hours.
- Corporate & Family Life: Extending individual discipline into home dynamics and interpersonal relationships.
Additional Points Covered in the book
The Spiritual Mechanics Behind Discipline
Self-control as Spirit-empowered — Kehl stresses that discipline is not self-generated but grows from yielding to Christ’s authority.
Surrender as the starting point — genuine mastery begins with letting God master the inner life.
Holiness as freedom — discipline is framed as liberation from chaos, not restriction.
Kehl’s Strategy for Temptation
Avoidance over confrontation — the wise Christian avoids tempting environments rather than trying to “be strong” inside them.
Boundary-setting as discipline — discipline is often environmental, not emotional.
Habit Reinforcement Principles
Repeated obedience strengthens future obedience — every disciplined act makes the next one easier.
Feeding vs. starving impulses — what you practice grows; what you neglect weakens.
Thought Life as the First Battleground
Mental discipline precedes emotional discipline — thoughts shape feelings, which shape actions.
Intentional mental replacement — Kehl emphasizes replacing thoughts, not merely resisting them.
Warnings About Extremes
Overcontrol leads to rigidity — discipline without grace becomes harsh and legalistic.
Undercontrol leads to drift — lack of boundaries produces emotional and spiritual instability.
Christ as the Model of Self-Control
Christ’s restraint as template — Kehl repeatedly points to Jesus’ non-retaliation and trust in the Father as the pattern for Christian discipline.
Relational Dimensions of Discipline
Self-control stabilizes relationships — disciplined people create calmer homes and healthier interactions.
Emotional contagion awareness — disciplined hearts prevent spreading fear, anger, or jealousy to others.
Encouragements for the Reader
Small victories accumulate — Kehl stresses incremental progress.
Growth is gradual but compounding — discipline builds like interest over time.
Key Strengths
1. Literary & Engaging Style: D.G. Kehl (a former professor of English) writes with a sharper, more literary voice than many typical 1980s Christian lifestyle books. His chapter titles and analogies make dense topics accessible and engaging.
2. Diagnostic Checklists: Each major section includes self-examination questions. These act as functional self-audits for assessing habits, speech patterns, emotional triggers, and time allocation.
3. Avoidance of Legalism: Rather than treating discipline as cold self-denial or rigid asceticism, Kehl frames self-control as the mechanism that unlocks genuine freedom and maturity.
6. It treats self‑discipline as a genuine developmental process. Kehl rejects the fantasy of instant transformation—no pill, seminar, or motivational surge will produce lasting self‑control. His premise is that discipline grows through repeated practice over time. That core insight has aged well.
7. It is thoroughly biblical without collapsing into verse‑dumping.
8. Rather than offering the usual Christian self‑help formula—“Here are 10 verses, now try harder”—Kehl examines what Scripture actually says about becoming disciplined and then applies those principles to ordinary life. The focus is on character formation, not proof‑texting.
9. It is practical and wide‑ranging. Kehl tackles the problem of being controlled—by circumstances, people, appetites, impulses—and contrasts it with learning to govern oneself. That’s a strong organizing idea with real explanatory power.
10. Its age has one advantage. Written in 1982, it predates the modern self‑optimization industry. You won’t find endless content about productivity apps, dopamine hacks, morning routines, or “crushing your goals.” The emphasis is on virtue, maturity, and character, not lifestyle optimization.
Limitations
- Context & Age: Published in 1982, the cultural references and prose style reflect traditional late 20th-century Christian publishing. It does not incorporate modern cognitive-behavioral research or contemporary behavioral psychology found in books like James Clear's Atomic Habits.
- Availability: Because it has been out of print for decades, physical copies are primarily limited to used book markets or digital library loans.
Author background
Delmar George Kehl (1936–2014) was Professor of English Emeritus at Arizona State University, where he taught for decades (including as department chairman). He specialized in American literature, interdisciplinary courses, and C.S. Lewis. He held a Ph.D. in American Literature from USC, published scholarly articles in journals like Modern Fiction Studies and Christianity and Literature, contributed to Christianity Today, and later served as an associate editor of Sehnsucht: The C.S. Lewis Journal. Other books include works on literary style of the Bible, poetry and the visual arts, a farm memoir, and a study of C.S. Lewis and Nathaniel Hawthorne. He was described as a devoted Christian with broad literary knowledge.
Verdict
If you are looking for a faith-integrated, comprehensive guide to personal organization and character development, Control Yourself! holds up as a thoughtful, well-written work. It is especially strong for readers who appreciate structured self-reflection, biblical scholarship, and a classic approach to personal stewardship.
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