Building Discipline

Excerpt from 
EATING IN FREEDOM

Welcome to the war zone. Decked out with your new florescent joggers, off you go to Mr. Muscle's Gym. Entering the world of fitness machines, you become increasingly conscious of the bulging belly stretching the elastic of your track pants. You discreetly suck it in as you walk over to the exercise bike, the only machine you recognize. It's been years. The seat seems so much smaller than you remember.

After a few moments of peddling, lungs gasp for air as the body screams, "What are you trying to do? Do you hate me?" Horror sets in as you realize how far your health has deteriorated. After only 20 minutes, you drive home to collapse on the sofa. Images from the gym haunt your mind: sculpted muscles and tanned, sleek bodies. "I could never look like that. This is me, so I might as well accept it." Desperation calls for action. Staring wide-eyed at your vacuum cleaner, you consider Liposuction. But that's just too radical.       

Most people connect discipline with pain. They consider the marathon runner training in the rain, and think that is insanity. It's no fun forcing yourself to do something you don't want to do. But if you are achieving an important goal, discipline becomes much easier. An athlete training for the Olympics does not have a grinding battle with willpower every day. Although there are battles, it becomes easier as the routine becomes a lifestyle.

Discipline is a mode of thought. Its easy when you are doing it and difficult when you are not. But with patience, the right attitude, and keeping your mind on the goal, discipline becomes second nature. You don't have to force yourself. It just comes naturally. That is the way it should be. God wants us to become disciplined so He can bless us.

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

It is easy to weaken discipline. Just spend years lying on the couch, watching TV, and eating junk food with no direction, goals or dreams. A lazy lifestyle weakens the discipline muscle to the point that getting out of bed takes effort. Even doing the dishes becomes work and searching for the TV converter is stressful.

Comfort is important. It gives happiness, right? I wish couch potatoes were the happiest people in the world. But, they are not. The couch is a prison cell, the TV a window to the outside world, a secure place that keeps out pain and rejection. The place is agony, for its walls scream you are powerless, hopeless, valueless with nothing to give. And so, couch potatoes live a miserable existence.

To gain discipline, you have to face pain. The more you face it, the more you gain confidence and determination. It is an exhilarating high to run five miles after you're conditioned to running. It hurts to start, but as your training progresses, there is a feeling of freedom and joy.


Facing Challenge
Challenge is exhilarating. We love competition for that reason. It challenges us to give our best.

We need challenge to grow. The greater the challenge, the greater the growth. That is why dreams are important; they bring us to the edge of challenge. The Bible does exactly that. It paints a picture of those who have overcome and are seated in heaven, surrounded by angels, ruling the universe from the golden, 1,500 mile-high New Jerusalem, and then challenges us to overcome. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Rev. 21:7) Challenge draws the best out of us, and God knows that.

In choosing your goals, choose goals that will challenge you beyond what you believe you are capable of achieving. Usually the things that we don't want to do are the best for us. Morning exercise is arduous, but it is a great way to start the day. When we face pain, our determination becomes stronger. Facing pain develops resolve and shakes off that overly sensitive-to-life feeling. Calisthenics, cycling, running, swimming and weight lifting strengthen discipline because they pit determination against pain.

Controlling food intake is a serious challenge. It is time to pit your determination against pain and face the ugly giant … the feeling of hunger.

Are you up for challenges that will cause growth? Are you up for challenges that will force you to give your best? If you are, it's time to make some decisions, durable decisions that won't weaken during the onslaught of temptation. You may lose a few battles, but with resolute decisions you will win the war because resolute decisions are powered by focused determination that screams, "I won't quit or back down."


Decision Power
When you ate the donuts, you made a decision. They comforted you and led you down the path of sugar-coated, chocolate-dipped, cream-filled pleasures. When the alarm clock rang and you went back to sleep, you made a decision. When you ate another piece of pie, you made a decision. When you lazed on the couch instead of cutting the grass, you made a decision. Each decision was a path, the easy road where you decided to give into your cravings, urges and laziness.

Most people make New Year's resolutions. They decide to quit smoking, start exercising and lose weight. Four days later, they're drowning in nicotine, pizza and reruns. Their resolution failed the test.

Where is the point where you have finally had enough and you make those resolute, I've-had-enough, never-go-back-again decisions? The ones that endure pain and stand the test of time. Those are the decisions that change our lives. We don't argue with those decisions because we know the answer is, NO! They are resolute. Gandhi stood resolute and unbending before threats of pain, and freed India. That is the power of an unmovable, unshakable, unbending, uncompromising decision. It is the power that shakes empires and inspires millions. A sword held by the hands of John the Baptist, Christ and the Apostles. Even death could not conquer them.

Life-changing decisions don't pop into our heads while watching TV. They are forged, like swords in the fires of our souls. A sword to cut away useless desires and temptations. To slice habits from our character with deadly precision. Its steel is heated with passion and conviction, then shaped, molded and tempered with wisdom. Its edge glimmers with light, sharpened so that nothing may withstand it. It is the power of decision, a sword in the hands of a conqueror for those willing to endure its sharpness.

You make hundreds of decisions each day. Most are decided by habit. Don't do that. Make your decisions, conscious of the path on which they are taking you. Choose decisions that challenge and cause growth. Make the decisions that force change for the better.

How badly do you want to be free from food addiction? Are you willing to face the ugly giant called hunger? Are you willing spend time on your knees before God to dig deep within the soul and pull out a determination that has the courage to meet every obstacle? You have the power to form life-changing decisions, but only if you are willing to face the edge that cuts dross from your life.

There are so many things that we believe we need. We hang on to hollow pleasures to soothe our empty soul. But those pleasures chain us. Freedom comes from letting go of those pleasures. 
Are you willing?

Write out a list of your decisions.