Monday Morning Commentary Pt.1
Being a kindergarten teacher, I get told, “Mrs. Johnson, my friend said the S word or the D word.” Often times I’m not exactly sure what “S word” they might be referring to, considering there are many “s words” in today’s culture. Good thing most of the time they are referring to words like stupid or dumb.
This past Sunday our pastor was not shy about using the “D word” over and over and over again.
The word is DISCIPLINE.
Let’s be honest, no one loves that word. It’s a character we all desire to possess, but no matter how disciplined we might think we are, to be disciplined means a lot more than making your bed every morning.
We concluded a series of messages “Small is BIG” highlighting the idea that if we want to see BIG results in our lives we must make small changes. This week, we talked about making small changes in our actions/habits/disciplines.
We have learned that it starts with what we think, which translates to what we say and eventually carries out to how we behave.
OUR LIVES ARE A SUM TOTAL OF THE ACTIONS WE REPEATEDLY DO.
The truth of the matter is this–we are all disciplined. Whether we are disciplined to exercise and eat healthy or disciplined to eat horrible and sit on the couch.
As people who desire a healthy, fruitful, successful life, we know it’s going to take more than wishful thinking!
We live in a culture that doesn’t like to wait. We like things done now. I remember seeing an advertisement for a water balloon maker. In a click of a switch, this water balloon maker fills up over 100 balloons at one time. When I saw this I told BJ, “This is why our generation is frustrated.” We don’t like to wait, we don’t like the process–When we want something we want it now.
DISCIPLINE IS CHOOSING BETWEEN WHAT WE WANT NOW AND WHAT WE WANT MOST.
In the words of my husband, “What we want now kicks what we want most in the face.”
We want a healthier body, a better job, healthy relationships, more money in our savings, a stronger walk with Jesus, but what we want now seems better, more appealing. So instead of being disciplined for what we want most, we settle for what we want now.
But we are in good company. Paul, one of the greatest followers of Jesus wrote this, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15
Ever feel like that? Every have a moment like that? I know I have.
But, we must choose what we want most, over what we want now.
DISCIPLINE IS A CHOICE.
Our faith journey is described as a journey of an athlete. The summer olympics (which I LOVE!!) are just a few months away–we are going to witness what discipline looks like. We all love to dream about being an Olympian or say things like, “How cool would it be to be on the Olympic team?” But we can not even begin to understand the DISCIPLINE that is required to set foot on the Olympic stage.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 says it like this:
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control,[b] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
The life of a disciplined athlete is one of purpose and focus. Everything they do, participate in, engage in is with intention.
It is saddening to see the carelessness and the lack of intention and direction so many people have when living their lives. People no longer commit to anything–their jobs, marriages, relationships, churches, etc. They are here one minute and gone the next. They want to be a part of something great but jump ship and connect to the “next best thing.”
But I know that you desire to go somewhere, that you have a deep desire to fulfill the purposes on your life.
How do we do this?
We must understand that LIFE IS A BATTLE that we must engage in every minute of the day.
We must understand that to WIN, DEMANDS DISCIPLINE.
FIT BODY. Not saying six pack abs, but we need to take care of our bodies.
Did you know that spiritual depression is often a result of an unfit body?
FIT MIND. Keeping our minds fixed on the right things.
FIT SOUL. When our soul is healthy we are able to face sorrows with a calm endurance.
We must KNOW OUR GOAL. With out a goal in mind, we don’t establish the right kinds of boundaries or establish the right kind of habits.
Do you know where you are going?
What do you want most?
What do you want now?
Comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
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Part two coming at you soon!
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