What do you think of when you hear the word “discipline?”
For many, the word carries negative connotations going back to childhood.
But, properly understood, discipline is an essential part of fulfilling the purpose God has for our lives.
And the Bible affirms this.
According to the book of Hebrews, God sometimes disciplines us out of love to get us back on track (Heb. 12:6).
We tend to find this unpleasant, but those who are trained by it end up enjoying the fruit produced by righteousness (Heb.12:11).
The Bible also tells us to pro-actively discipline ourselves “for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7).
And this puts us in a better place to fulfill our role in God’s dominion mandate…
Because godliness is more than just a collection of character qualities–like patience, kindness, honest and purity.
To be godly also involves acting like God to engage the world with our gifts and develop it with Him.
Doing this consistently and effectively takes discipline.
Someone once said, “Discipline is remembering what you want.”
I find this helpful when you’re in the thick of making choices that are in keeping with our Creator’s intent.
So you if you want to make the most of your life in His kingdom…
Ask God to give you the grace you need to live with discipline.
