Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Discipline

Scripture Verse that Caught My Attention Today: 1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.

Observation: We are called to be self-discerning. Just because we can do something does not always mean that we should do it.

Application: Some time ago I read or heard a quote that sort of stuck with me: “Discipline yourself…or else someone else will do it for you.”

For some reason I was thinking about that quote on my way into work this morning. I think this ‘discipline’ can apply to many different areas of life: time management, financial management, exercise, nutrition, spiritual disciplines, intimate relationships, relationships with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, clients, superiors, and more. In any of these areas, if we don’t discipline ourselves, someone else will likely do it for us sooner or later. And it might be painful as well as, perhaps, embarrassing.

Paul seemed to understand this concept well. He understood that the freedom we have in Christ also comes with the understanding that we are not to allow ourselves to be enslaved by our desires, whatever they might be.

This doesn’t mean that we ignore such things. Quite the opposite really; we become so aware of our desires that we can analyze them for what they are, be it for better or for worse. That way we endeavor to master them, rather than the other way around.

It’s not easy. As our confession states, “we are in bondage to sin and unable to free ourselves.” But as we regularly consider anew all that Christ has done for us, as we consider anew that all we have in this world is a gift, we are given new opportunities to think again, to act differently, to make more choices for the better and less choices for the worse, to steward our life as people who see such a life as a gift. And ironically, while it is usually more pleasant to discipline oneself, there is still grace to be found in all discipline, regardless of from where it comes.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be wise enough to discipline ourselves where possible, and to be humble enough to give thanks for other forms of discipline as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Job 34, 1 Corinthians 4,5,6)

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