There Is Beauty In Discipline

By EM Irvin

Hebrews 12:11 Amplified

11 For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].

Discipline. This ten-letter word means different things to different people, with different goals, and perspectives. To me, Discipline means consistency; purposeful; intentional. It is the training of one’s self to perform a task without much deviation, or to build a character trait that is reliable under pressure.

Honestly, I lack Discipline in some areas, which sometimes manifest in my creativity. For example, I write songs constantly, but I rarely transcribe them to manuscript, or record them, or even practice them. How many albums could I have produced and recorded? How much better would my songwriting skills be if I practiced and performed consistently? I would have better command of chord progressions and structure, improvisation, and lyrical expression.

The same is true for building a relationship with God. The occasional prayer during troubled or stressful times is not discipline but desperation. So, what does Discipline look like in a spiritual space? Commitment to reading AND studying the Bible. Conversing (which includes listening) with God, just because…Choosing to feed the spirit with positive and uplifting messaging, and denying the soul (mind, will, and emotions) of the programming and perversions readily available through music, film, and television. And again, speaking honestly, I struggle with all of the aforementioned.

There is beauty in Discipline. It is in the practice to master a piece of music or an instrument, developing art technique, or perfecting a dance. It's in the "leaning in" to hear and recognize the voice of God, and learning His ways. It's in Discipline that Grace abounds and Mercy is.