The Need For Self Discipline

You ever read scripture that you've probably read a hundred times before, almost to the point where it becomes familiar and you lose sensitivity to it's meaning, but then one day you read it again and it speaks to you as if it's the first time you've come across that page. This was me last night! This is me quite often actually because sometimes a verse or a book resonates with you more personally because it's speaking directly into your current situation - as if that verse was written all those years ago specifically with you in mind.

Well last night I stumbled upon 1Corinthians 9:24-27 where Paul talks about the importance of self discipline through the illustration of athletes and training.

 The whole illustration spoke to me but what really convicted me was the last verse, verse 27 where Paul finished with 'No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:27 NIV)' maaaaaaaaate! Please imagine for a second, you've spent your whole life encouraging and uplifting others because  that's the easy part. Helping your loved ones and strangers, it makes us feel good and after all the bible teaches us to do this, so we're actually doing God's work! But disciplining ourselves? Saying no to our flesh, to him, to her, to sin, to satan?! That part's harder. That's where I fall short so I rely on my service to others as a means of making myself feel better about my shortcomings and inability to discipline myself. But Paul says run the race to win and I could be doing all these great things and still be disqualifies because at the end of the day it's not our works that save us but our faith. And how can I claim to have faith and love for God but not honour him with my everything and obey his commands? No more! I'm training and disciplining myself to win, not an earthly prize that will fade and be forgotten, but an eternal prize with my Dad.

This Spoken Word by articulates my point clearly and really makes it all hit home so have a listen

I pray this encourages and motivates you as much as it did me :)

Adella x