Monday, March 23, 2015

Self-Discipline Part 3: Choosing Self-discipline

There are so many different parts to self-discipline.  This series is just highlighting the particular pieces that have been helpful to me.  This chapter is about choice.

I'm not going to start by digging into the super spiritual side of this, but I am going to touch on it. We always have a choice.  That's it. God gave us free will.  Because He is omniscient, He knows what will choose, but He always offers us the choice.  I know. Wrap your head around that one.

My point is that we can choose to make a decision that will benefit ourselves and possibly others around us, or we can choose to remain as we are and not grow.  That sounds super stupendous when I say it like that, right? Oh please let me be stagnant! While it sounds ridiculous, people often chose to remain the same and never grow.  You and I both know people like that.  Most of the time they're not very fun to be around because they like to complain about everything and not do anything about it.  Don't be that person!

 carribbean blue & navy blue


Another key element of developing self-discipline, is to choose it before hand.  Before what, you ask? Before you need it.  In Daniel 1:8, it says

"Daniel RESOLVED not to defile himself with the royal food and wine." In other words, he made his choice before he was put in that situation.  I doubt this was the first time Daniel had heard of the richness of the king's food.  He was prepared going into the situation.  What does that look like for you?  It could be for you to decide before hand that while, yes, we are having potluck at work today, I am choosing to not eat any desserts or I will only eat 1 dessert and enjoy it.  It could also look like, it's 9:00 p.m. now.  I am choosing to workout at 6 a.m. tomorrow.  I'm going to put my clothes and shoes out tonight and set my alarm, and then I will choose to do it in the morning because I value myself and I value my health.  Success is a habit.  Failure is also a habit.  Habits are created by the choices we make on a daily basis.  Make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change.

What choice will you begin with today that is a chance?  Be brave!  And then comment below.


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