Discipline is a skill we all know we need, yet we often struggle to put it into practice. You often hear people complain about the fact that they have a long list of unfinished tasks, ideas, or projects due to their lack of discipline. As Christians, we know the Bible calls us to be disciplined, especially in our fight against sin. The question is, do we make it even harder by how we think about or frame discipline?
Discipline over Emotions
Emotions are good. God gave humans emotions. Emotions are a gift from God that allow us to engage deeply with the world. Imagine how dull life would be if we could not experience it emotionally! Yet with our emotions come desires, and most people usually do not like doing things that they do not want to do or feel like doing. We often seek immediate satisfaction, but discipline rarely gives us instant satisfaction. Instead, we usually have to wait to see the fruit that discipline produces. This can lead to frustration. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, the Apostle Paul likens the Christian’s life of discipline to an athlete’s training regimen, both seeking to attain a prize. uses the analogy of an athlete exercising discipline so that they can achieve a prize. Paul writes: “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” (v. 24). Athletes understand that only one person can take the gold medal, so they all must train with an intensity and dedication to put them in the position to achieve the gold. This requires consistent effort and commitment, keeping the goal in mind, regardless of how they may feel on any given day.
Strive for eternal Joy
Discipline kills our drive for immediate gratification. Much like an athlete who trains for months before a competition; the Christian must also train and prepare themselves for the day they meet Jesus. Scripture urges us to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The Christian life involves struggle, grit and discipline, and part of the challenge is that we rarely see immediate rewards. Meanwhile, sin promises that instant satisfaction and deceives us with its allure. However, Paul reminds us that we are pursuing an imperishable prize (1 Corinthians 9:25). If athletes can practice rigorous discipline for a temporary prize, how much more should we do so for an eternal one?
Changing our Perspective of Discipline
The lie of Satan and the world is that we should only do what makes us happy. But such fleeting happiness eventually fades, leaving us constantly chasing the next high. In contrast, when we discipline ourselves by putting to death the deeds of the flesh and clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:5-10, Romans 13:13-14), we gain a treasure that endures forever (1 Corinthians 9:25).
Discipline is rarely enjoyable in the moment. Whether it’s seeing the gains of working out, saving for a house or pursuing holiness, the benefits can seem slow to appear. However, if we change our perspective and see discipline not as a barrier to joy but as the pathway to joy, we begin to appreciate the lessons we learn along the way to our prize.