“And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things.” Gospel
Discipline, being temperate in the words of the Gospel, is key to achieving any worthwhile venture. It is the ability to do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and how it needs to be done. Put differently, it is your ability to say Yes, or No in life; Yes, to righteousness -as you ought to be – and No, to whatever alternative life presents.
It is ultimately that sacrifice that needs to be made in persistently going after an objective, in spite of the hurdles and ‘failures’ along the way.
Every achievement requires effort and time, then some more effort and more time and more effort and some more time, to overcome the certain challenges along the way.
To be temperate is to be ‘moderate and self-controlled’, not only with regards to the task at hand but also in ‘all things’. Indiscipline in one area of life may truncate the whole process.
It is easy, and tempting, to give up and give in when challenges arise, but quitters never win. Sadly, quitters sometimes stop just short of the finish line!
The not so obvious reason is that everything in this ‘world’ under satan, is designed to frustrate man and keep him below par. The only easy route is to do nothing against the status quo, but to just ‘flow with the flow’ of the stream.
Your transformation will not happen, or last for long, if you do not have staying power, grit; the determination to finish what you have started. And then retain it. Or go farther, higher and better still.
The secret to discipline, as with every endeavor, is to start small. A small task achieved is better than a big task unattended. Every little success begets a little bigger success.
Good intentions are never enough. People are never short on good intentions. Rather they are short on completed tasks. So, take on ‘baby’ tasks but be sure to complete them. Like deciding to make your bed every morning, no matter the size or urgency of the tasks ahead of you for the day. Somehow, getting this little task or any other you may choose, done sets up the day for more ‘victories’ for discipline.
Every thing grows, or decays, a little at a time. Both are imperceptible.
Build up muscle by obeying the Kingdom rule: seed… time… harvest.
Attempting to address ‘every problem’ simultaneously may mean addressing none. Rather, set a small goal in any of the areas you particularly desire a change, where you are ‘fed up’, and work at it.
You may attempt to change more but certainly no more than three tasks at a go. Studies have shown that beyond that, you run the risk of diminishing returns. Multi tasking may be okay when you have programmed the mind accordingly, but certainly not when you are still writing the code!
Next, get feedback, even from yourself, but preferably from a Corner 4 ally on the chosen task/tasks. Then make the necessary adjustments and re engage.
Repeat the cycle over and over again in the different streams until you become the ‘master’ of them all. That is the will of God for you. But remember that Rome was not built in a day. Rome was built over many days.
Life transformation is bigger than Rome and it will take a lifetime. The fall of man was that great.
The world system was designed with death as a prominent end post; to create a sense of ‘urgency’ and a frenzied lifestyle. This notion of death as an end in itself has been greatly helped, wittingly or unwittingly, by self seeking fellows whose horizon unfortunately ends at the grave. ‘You only have one life’, they say.
But see beyond the grave and follow God’s ‘way of Truth’, and you are guaranteed to win in this life with meaning and fulfillment; and in shalom shalom.
And the world will be a better place because you lived.