To grow in the Lord, you need balance.
Not just comfort and encouragement, but also clear instruction on what you must do to grow in your faith.
Remember from my last post STRONG is the new SKINNY!
Well discipline and self-control are not my favorite type of instructions! Yet, without discipline and self-control, you’ll never achieve the dreams and goals God has planted in your heart, let alone live a life that glorifies Him.I have a whole chapter in my upcoming book that shares how we
"beat our bodies into submission" that even sounds scary! I did not make that up its found in 1 Corinthians ch 9:24-27!
If you’re going to persevere and be the person God wants you to be, you must learn to practice discipline and self-control.We need to learn to beat our bodies into Gods plan for our life! I dont know about you but that does not sound easy! In todays world we think we can enjoy everything with no self control or discipline. Well I dont think thats the way God created us!
Hebrews 12:11 says, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (NLT).
There is nothing more wonderful or comfortable than having grown in God to a place where you are at peace with Him in every area of your life. Learning to live with discipline and self-control brings beauty and peace which exceeds the short-term thrill of living without boundaries or accountability but thinking that's the fun life!
There is nothing worse than waking up with a guilty conscience, knowing there’s something unsettled between you and God.
Boy I dislike that feeling but then again its a reminder that the spirit is alive and well in my heart!
The only way to settle things with Him is by learning to say “no” to the things that poison your life, and sticking with people and situations that contribute to your spiritual well being.
Understand that God has put those people and situations in your life to polish you and mold you into the image of Christ.
I struggle with learning self-control because my willpower is poor! However in John 15:5 it says we can’t do anything apart from God. willpower happens only when God is in the middle.
If God is dealing with you about your behavior and attitudes, instead of brooding because you can no longer get away with the things you once got away with, you should rejoice. That’s the Holy Spirit coming alive inside you.
STAY COMMITTED
Here are 3 training tips to ponder today to help you become the runner God has intended you to be!
Align with God’s Will
God has planted a seed in your heart and it’s growing. Believe that God is working in your heart to make you want more of what He has for your life than just getting your own way. You can water that seed by seeking Him with your whole heart. The more you pray, study and read the Word, the more you will see the positive results of doing the right thing, which will make you want to do even more right things.You have everything you need, in Christ, to be what you need to be. Commit to bringing your life under God’s discipline and authority. Ask Him to help you live a life aligned with His will. It may be hard at first, but stick with it and I promise you will experience deeper peace than you ever knew when you were living only for yourself
GIVE THE BROKEN TOES TO GOD
God never said to quit! We need to take the pain and discover a new muscle that God is strengthening! I worked out really hard the last two days and some of my body parts are in pain! I feel the pain in muscles I have not targeted in awhile. When we go through broken toe areas in our life it does not mean we run away and leave things broken. We hand what is BENT over to God and He fixes what we claim is BROKEN! Christ came to heal everything that appears broken!
Now to hang on to this thought in an angry situation takes self control and discipline! lets look at number 3.
MAKE A GOAL A VISION
I find it much easier to exercise self control and discipline if I have a log. I write down what could and should be according to the ways of God. I may be far away from reality but when I jot a goal for the day I am moving forward in alignment to Gods will. I will have a whole chapter coming in the new book about how to make a goal a vision and how we press on to the mark! Again stay connected to the blog this summer and I will be sharing bits and pieces of this book!
Have a Blessed day!
