There are days that I think discipline has become a four letter word in the United States. It seems as though we’ve become a society willing to depend upon other people, places and things in order to find health, wealth and happiness. If you don’t understand where I’m coming from watch the news. How about the lady that finds happiness in having children and now has 14!!! And of course our government has decided the best way to overt a crisis created by people spending money they didn’t have is by spending more money we don’t have. I’m not judging, just relating. My mantra back in my BC (before Christ) days was “too much was not enough” and that desire has never left me but today I’ve found a way to keep it in check.
Tom Petty has a new song called “Saving Grace”…great song by an old “rocker.” The song is about people looking everywhere for their “saving grace.” He sings over and over…”looking for another place to find that saving grace.” How do some people find their saving grace without having to look in other places? It often comes down to discipline. In Proverbs 10:17 Solomon writes “He who heeds discipline shows the way to life.”
My personal definition of discipline is “a behavior that promotes and creates mental, physical and spiritual effectiveness.” Effectiveness means doing the right thing. Discipline helps us do the right thing. Discipline separates great from good. Discipline is being able to do what you know is right (forgive others, go to bed early, exercise, work smart, eat right, spend less money than you make, keeping your mouth shut etc…) when you don’t want to do it. Discipline is doing what others view as being too difficult to do. Discipline is the ability to give up the short term good (gossiping/criticizing) in order to achieve the long term great (kindness/understanding). Discipline is all about giving up the short term high for the eternal fix.
Jesus is the most disciplined human being that ever walked the earth. No matter what the temptation was he did not give in. Jesus’ behavior was always effective. He always did the right thing. Jesus is the eternal fix. As Christians we have the ability to be like Jesus. I find it much easier to be disciplined today by reaching inward and asking the Holy Spirit to assist me in overcoming the tempatation of giving in to the short term high. I ask Jesus to help me discern what is pleasing to Him.
I have found that everytime I conquer temptation through disciplined behavior…no matter how painful…I get closer and closer to the eternal fix. Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:11 “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Paul also tells us in Galatians 6:8-9 “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” Eternal life is available to us in the here and now. We don’t have to die physically in order to reap the rewards for pleasing the Spirit. Discipline is definitely the way to life…eternal life.
P.E.A.C.E.