Discipline Produces a Harvest

In the spirit of the Olympics, meditate on this verse: “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified”- 1 Corinthians 9:27.  Paul is speaking about running the race for the eternal prize, in other words, our spiritual race.  However, many people (including myself until recently) didn’t consider the various areas of life that this can apply too and how it impacts us running our race.  Consider Hebrews 12:11 “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.” When Jesus had fasted for 40 days and was being tempted by the devil.  Jesus said “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”- Matthew 4:4. Do you see a trend? Discipline is the trend! 

God requires us to discipline our flesh, our minds, and our lives! We need to bring the flesh into submission by walking in the Spirit. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”- Galatians 5:16. The lust of the flesh doesn’t want to work out.  The lust of the flesh wants to be lazy, wants to eat everything and be glutton, wants everything it sees, etc…But for those of us that are learning to walk in the Spirit, we need to pray to God to help us submit our flesh to the word of God.  We can’t do it by our own strength but by the power of the Spirit.  Through prayer, studying his word, and learning to resist temptation and flesh, we begin to grow and become stronger and stronger. 

So the next time you feel lack of motivation and you don’t want to work out, force yourself to put on your sneakers and remind your flesh that you are in control of your body through the Spirit. You need to speak the word to yourself and practice self-discipline.  Remember, people always say they feel better after they work out, right?  It goes back to Hebrews 12:11…it’s painful to get yourself to work out and push through the lazy flesh, but afterwards, you reap a peaceful harvest; you get the good feeling, you get stronger, you get healthier, you get energy!  The same goes for eating.  The next time you are tempted to over indulge- ask yourself if you are truly hungry or if you are just being tempted to be glutton, and then force your flesh to submit to the Word.  If you are hungry, then eat, but if you aren’t, find another activity. Read the word, pray, exercise, spend time with you baby/hubby, etc…but refuse to submit to the flesh.