For some people, discipline is difficult, but as a child of God, your call to be a disciple is about learning discipline. Dealing with desire and self-will can be daunting when you lack discipline. In that case, you will need some help getting started and staying true to your commitments.
One of the first things I look for in a person is their love for God and how much of their heart is after Him to do all His will. Loving God with all your being is always the answer to anything concerning your walk with God. If your heart’s desire is in heaven with God, then your life will show it when it comes to the discipline you walk in while on the earth. I’m not saying everything will be perfect and easy for you because you will always be tested and challenged by outward temptations, but your continual discipline of the heart and the flesh will protect you and keep it true before the Lord.
After that, you must learn something very important about yourself: how much discipline are you willing to apply in your life so that you don’t have false expectations of what you can accomplish? Dishonesty will cause you to give up on your commitments. Knowing yourself is important when deciding how much you can commit to God and how fast.
Differences in people will always determine the level of discipline they are willing to walk in. Some desire more of God’s will or even all He has for them and are willing to sacrifice everything. Others are not always willing to go for all but only desire enough to make them a part of the kingdom. In either case, you need to be honest with yourself to have discipline in your life.
Here’s the cool part. No matter where you start or how much discipline you can give initially, if you are faithful to what you have received from the Lord, God will increase it into something great and profitable. Even the greatest apostles of Jesus had to follow Him for years before they could lay their lives down for Him.
If you need help getting started, here are four things that can help you begin fighting the war against the evil desires of the heart and the works of the flesh.
Love the Lord with all your heart.
Believe the truth and follow it closely.
Be honest before God, and do not lie.
Be obedient to everything the Lord tells you to do.
No matter what age you are in the Lord, keeping these four things will help you discipline your life and grow much closer to God than you are now.
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