I could remember an accident I experienced about 4 years ago, which seemed a bit funny, although back up the fact discipline can be viewed in different ways by different individuals.
I was chatting with supposed a female friend on WhatsApp and understanding (as she had told me) that she was a student, I asked her, what was her discipline?
Could you believe that my question took her off—she didn’t get me until I had to say in a simple term: “I mean—what are you studying?” Then she replied Microbiology. What a great course was study!
Why didn’t she get my question initially? Perhaps, because she was in her 100 level, and really had no knowledge of term discipline in that context.
But in a nutshell, that experience I had made me appreciated the fact that Discipline as a term, is indeed a great word—one which the wise perpetually strive to understand and master in practicality, even as it relates to the various facets of their lives.
What then is Self Discipline?
Discipline as a word has a couple of meanings in the dictionary, either as a noun or a verb. But then, let’s consider this particular definition from the Oxford advanced learner’s dictionary:
To control the way you behave and make yourself do things that you believe you should do
In other words, Self-discipline literally means self-control. It requires conscious training and mastery in delaying immediate gratification.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27:
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Here, the Apostle Paul was talking to the people of Corinth, and very much to us, too. He understood the reality that both the flesh and spirit are both at constant war; their desire different things.
For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17(ESV)
Honestly, our flesh is so weak, and does not want to stress itself or get itself involved in training, as well as spiritual exercises; it wants everything to be rosy— it’s always looking for immediate means of gratifying its desires, which always oppose what is really good for us. And this has led many to a self-caused apocalypse.
Remember the story of Esau and Jacob, how lack of discipline cost his birthright.
27 When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
28 Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted.
30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!”
31 Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.”
32 Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?”
33 Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
Genesis 25:27-33 (ESV)
The Outcome of Lack of Discipline In A Person's Life
The inability of an individual to subject his or her body control will cause him or her:
Lose of Birthright
Recalling the case of his Esau, fear of death as a result of hunger caused to him to sell his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob. In fact, he did swear, to show that he was fully conscious of the unwise decision he took.
Self-deprivation of the God best
A person who refuses God’s discipline and to patiently undergone god ordained training period for our lives only deprive him or herself out of the very best God has in store for him or her— the experience his nature (holiness) provides.
Hebrews 12:10-11 says:
10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.
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.
Give A Person An Apartment In The City of Mediocre
As the book of Ecclesiastics makes us understand that there’s time for everything. One of the resultant effects of lack of discipline in a person’s life is lack of productivity as a result of mismanaged time. For a student, who would not sit his or her ass down to study for a pretty good amount of time will no doubt constitute the league of mediocre on what you may call “pay time”—time for result checking after an examination or a test.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the issue of Discipline resolves around all areas of our lives; encompassing our finances (how we spend our money), time management, our spiritual life, relationship with others, and so on. And as believers, we need to constantly yield ourselves to the spirit of God resident in us, who makes us bold, and gives us power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
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Thanks for reading.
Happy Good Friday!
Love you,
