No spiritual flabbiness please!

You have been raised on the Message of faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the Christians there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God - no spiritual flabbiness please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Saviour of all men and women, especially believers. 1 Timothy 4:6-10 MSG

How many times have you set yourself a goal, started working towards it full of fire, and then waned as time went on? There are at least a couple of areas in my life that I have been particularly challenged when it comes to being disciplined. One was taking the time to read the bible each day. I would start off well, managing to read it daily for a couple of weeks. But then other 'things' would take over, maybe it was household chores that I thought just couldn't wait. Or some book-work that needed to be done urgently for our business. Slowly, but surely the daily bible reading disappeared off my daily schedule! I felt despondent and a failure as I really wanted to daily spend time with God in His word, but I didn't have the discipline required.

I believe God knew my heart's desire to spend more time with Him, and learn more about His character. So he helped me to develop the discipline I needed by allowing an extremely difficult, on-going circumstance to come into my life. Our daughter's fight against cancer, which has now been a three and a half year fight and continues. This is not an easy circumstance to live with. Yes, we believe she has the victory in Jesus, however we are yet to see the physical manifestation of that victory. Every day she has to face this battle, and we as parents have to encourage and stay strong in our faith and trust in God. How do we do that?

For me, the answer has been discipline, discipline, discipline! Discipline to read God's word daily, drawing from it strength, hope and courage. Discipline to push aside the other things that need to be attended to, and choose to put God first. It has been out of complete desperation that I have developed discipline in this area. It has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. As it says in Hebrews 12

For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness. For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness - in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God]. Hebrews 12:10,11 AMP

I thank God that I now make a consistent choice to read His word daily. Thank you God that you have bought me to a place that I have learnt how to be disciplined in reading the bible. Thank you have you have put a desire in my heart to know more and more about all Jesus has done for me and all that is available to me as His follower. Thank you for blessing me through disciplining me.

Question for today, is there an area in your life that you need more discipline? Ask God to help you develop the discipline required. Be aware that circumstances may come that will help you develop the discipline required. Always remember that despite the circumstances, God is there and He will make a way through.

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 1:13 NIV