The Importance of Self Discipline

We have many choices in life. We face simple choices like how you like your coffee, to more difficult choices like which house to buy. In our spiritual life, we face choices every day. Will we feed our sinful desires or will we follow the righteousness of God?

Folowing after God’s righteousness requires discipline, self-discipline. As a matter of fact God commands His people to discipline themselves over and over again.

Leviticus 11:44 ~I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.
I just counted five times in Leviticus alone where God says, “be holy because I am holy”.

Still think discipline isn’t important?
Proverbs 1:2 ~for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight;
Proverbs 1:7 ~The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 5:23 ~He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.
Proverbs 6:23 ~For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,
Deuteronomy 4:36 ~From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.
Job 5:17 ~Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
This is only a few examples, there are many many more throughout the Bible.

The fact is, is that your whole relationship with God hinges on the amount of discipline you have in maintaining a Christ centered life. And since everything in our lives depend on Christ it is safe to say that success in other areas of your life such as your job, your marriage, your family, your finances, etc…is a direct result of your self discipline or lack there of.

Remember, all relationships are work, even our relationship with God. Let us not grow so relaxed that we lose sight and focus.
Revelation 2:4 ~Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.
Love is not always forsaken in an instant, sometimes it is forsaken little by little, day after day. Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will follow the Lord.” To do that we must stay dilligent, focused, and disciplined.

Be the Blessing