ah, discipline
Discipline has become such a buzz word in my life. I find myself attempting discipline in so many areas of my life, I'm wondering where the discipline of relaxation fits in! I am working toward financial discipline; the getting up early and exercising discipline, and the discipline of eating well so as not to ruin what I've accomplished through the exercise discipline; spiritual discipline; the discipline of being on time for work; the discipline of not watching too much TV and being proactive about communicating with my husband; relational discipline, making sure that time spent with people is quality time; the discipline of getting to bed on time so I can get up the next day and be disciplined about finishing all my daily tasks, right down to the laundry and the dusting and the dishes .... and the list goes on.
Life just takes a lot of energy sometimes. But, the more I think about how much there is to do, the more I realize how important discipline is in my life. Without financial discipline, we might not be able to eat at the end of the month. Without exercise discipline, I'm wheezing at the top of our one flight of stairs. Without daily task discipline, the dishes pile up until I'm the subject of a Shel Silverstein poem. Without relational discipline I am relationally exhausted and yet still disconnected from others. But the important thing I'm learning these days is that without spiritual discipline, these other disciplines are just a routine, a daily in-and-out living. Sure, I'm getting things done, but am I at peace? Is there rest in my heart in the midst of a busy day?
I am a productive person. I love tasks and value productivity above most things. And so some of these disciplines are easy for me ... because they're tangible. Doing the dishes results in clean dishes, and a clean kitchen. Doing the laundry empties the dirty laundry basket, and fills my drawers with clean socks (I have a lot of socks). Cleaning my house results in a happy Heidi, because she loves a clean house. But some disciplines are less tangible, like the relational and spiritual disciplines. Success in these areas isn't quantifiable. It doesn't fit on a chart. The growth in these areas is often seen more clearly over long periods of time. In these cases, hindsight is 20/20. And so it tends to be more difficult (at least for me) to accomplish discipline in these areas.
And yet these are the areas that are infinitely more key to personal growth and maturity than doing the dishes or skipping the extra taco. And so I find this the most pressing discipline to work toward. My whole world could be in place, in order, on a schedule ... but if my heart is disconnected from God; my thoughts wandering from what is right, true, honorable, noble, of good repute; my focus on things other than Christ ... then my schedule is for naught, my accomplished tasks like the dirty plates clanging against each other ... they're just noise.
Do you ever wonder how many times in your life you'll have to learn this lesson? I feel like I have to learn it over again and again and again. I suppose its human nature to rest on what we can do ourselves, and can quantify. We like audible answers to things, time frames, check marks, gold stars when a thing has been accomplished. We're smart beings, gifted with brains that think, plan, and solve. But I must remember that I have experienced extreme joy in waiting on the Lord, in letting his timing be played out in my life, even if he hasn't consulted my own day planner; in letting his peace wash over me so as to calm my restless soul, and give over to him all that troubles me. Being in communion with the Living God is the discipline which manages all other disciplines. It is the "head discipline," if you will. "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you." The verse I've known from childhood takes on new meaning once again. Perhaps if we trust God, and seek him first, all other disciplines will start to fall into place. And then we might find comfort in that word, discipline. I know its a stretch! But maybe, just maybe, it could happen.
Life just takes a lot of energy sometimes. But, the more I think about how much there is to do, the more I realize how important discipline is in my life. Without financial discipline, we might not be able to eat at the end of the month. Without exercise discipline, I'm wheezing at the top of our one flight of stairs. Without daily task discipline, the dishes pile up until I'm the subject of a Shel Silverstein poem. Without relational discipline I am relationally exhausted and yet still disconnected from others. But the important thing I'm learning these days is that without spiritual discipline, these other disciplines are just a routine, a daily in-and-out living. Sure, I'm getting things done, but am I at peace? Is there rest in my heart in the midst of a busy day?
I am a productive person. I love tasks and value productivity above most things. And so some of these disciplines are easy for me ... because they're tangible. Doing the dishes results in clean dishes, and a clean kitchen. Doing the laundry empties the dirty laundry basket, and fills my drawers with clean socks (I have a lot of socks). Cleaning my house results in a happy Heidi, because she loves a clean house. But some disciplines are less tangible, like the relational and spiritual disciplines. Success in these areas isn't quantifiable. It doesn't fit on a chart. The growth in these areas is often seen more clearly over long periods of time. In these cases, hindsight is 20/20. And so it tends to be more difficult (at least for me) to accomplish discipline in these areas.
And yet these are the areas that are infinitely more key to personal growth and maturity than doing the dishes or skipping the extra taco. And so I find this the most pressing discipline to work toward. My whole world could be in place, in order, on a schedule ... but if my heart is disconnected from God; my thoughts wandering from what is right, true, honorable, noble, of good repute; my focus on things other than Christ ... then my schedule is for naught, my accomplished tasks like the dirty plates clanging against each other ... they're just noise.
Do you ever wonder how many times in your life you'll have to learn this lesson? I feel like I have to learn it over again and again and again. I suppose its human nature to rest on what we can do ourselves, and can quantify. We like audible answers to things, time frames, check marks, gold stars when a thing has been accomplished. We're smart beings, gifted with brains that think, plan, and solve. But I must remember that I have experienced extreme joy in waiting on the Lord, in letting his timing be played out in my life, even if he hasn't consulted my own day planner; in letting his peace wash over me so as to calm my restless soul, and give over to him all that troubles me. Being in communion with the Living God is the discipline which manages all other disciplines. It is the "head discipline," if you will. "Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you." The verse I've known from childhood takes on new meaning once again. Perhaps if we trust God, and seek him first, all other disciplines will start to fall into place. And then we might find comfort in that word, discipline. I know its a stretch! But maybe, just maybe, it could happen.
