Self-Discipline

 

In talking about self-discipline the first thing we need to do is to define what it is not.  Self-discipline is NOT punishing yourself for mistakes, sins, errors, stupid actions, or anything else.  It is not about beating yourself on the back while crawling on your knees two miles to kiss the foot of some holy statue.  It is about setting your heart and mind to do the right things in all circumstances.

 

Discipline in general is a way to keep someone ‘in harness’, or pulling in the right direction.  Discipline keeps kids from errors that will cause them harm. 

 

Self-discipline is what will keep you inside the boundaries by which you define yourself. 

First comes self-definition.

Second comes self-discipline.

Self-discipline is doing what you know to be right.

It is also what you know is the best way to stay out of trouble, and have a good measure of contentment and success.

 

Self-discipline – doing what you know is right whether you feel like it or not.

Self-restraint – not doing what you may have an impulse to do because you know it is not right.  Not stepping outside your own self-definition on a whim is self-discipline.

 

Personal Self-discipline remembers:

I am a child of God.  My actions should first please Him.

I have heard the preaching of God’s word.  I know what is right.

I have priorities.  These are based on importance according to God’s word.

I must stay mentally alert because the devil walks around like a roaring lion ready to devour me.

I must turn away from any indulgence that produces sin my life. 

I must feed my spirit daily on the Word of God.  That is my ‘spiritual vitamin shot’.

I must keep my imagination under control.

I must ignore social moral codes (or lack of) and stick with morality as defined in the Bible.

 

Personal self-discipline doesn’t excuse you from public discipline if necessary.  It should help you avoid the need for pubic discipline.  For instance, if you exercise self-discipline and do not speed in your automobile, then you will avoid a speeding ticket.  You will also avoid the public discipline that goes with a citation for speeding.

 

And, here’s a big hint.  Avoid putting yourself in a position where you know temptation will get the better of you.  That means don’t buy a hot-rod Ford if you know you can’t keep your foot off the accelerator.  It means a lot of other things as well.  Self-discipline is careful.  It practices the things taught in the children’s Sunday School song ‘Oh Be Careful Little Eyes’.  It says be careful little eyes what you see, little ears what you hear, little mouth what you say, little feet where you go, little heart what you love, and probably ten more simple verses.  It is such a simple little song, but it takes giant sized self-discipline to actually do the things the song teaches. 

 

It seems obvious that the first part of self-discipline, the most important part, is self-discipline of the mind.  In the mind rages the epic battle for your thoughts.  ‘As a man thinketh, so is he.’ (Proverbs 23:7 paraphrase)

 

It is actually quite evident that how a person thinks controls what they do.  Yet, only the wise take it seriously. 

 

Wise people understand that:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The Lord God Almighty is pure Truth.

Freedom cannot be found in lies, so the truth is very important.

Thinking based on non-truths leads to decisions that build on unstable ground. 

 

The disciplined mind is a discerning mind.  It is not easily fooled by the fads of the day or the material possessions that seem so necessary in the society today.

 

The discipline/discerning mind knows that:

Peace at any price is not really peace.

Material gain at any price costs more than it is worth.

 

The disciplined mind:

Faces the day resolutely

Is not double minded

Does its duty regardless of personal feelings 

Develops the ability to put their shoulder to the plow and never look back.

Is displayed in one’s character.

Is able to stand against a mighty tide of public opinion and peer pressure.