“I discipline my body and keep it under control…”
1 Corinthians 9:27
Self-discipline is not my forte. Although I’m not exactly a slob, in certain areas of life I definitely tend toward being a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, “Why start now if it’s not due until tomorrow?” kind of person.
Not only is this approach to dealing with my responsibilities stressful, in many cases, it is also sinful. Doing what I want to do when I want to do it is a far cry from the life of self-denial that Christ calls us to embrace.
By God’s grace, I have made tiny baby steps toward progress in recent months, but I still have a long way to go before I could be described as a disciplined person. I’m looking forward to getting there. 
For that reason, I appreciate John MacArthur’s helpful advice on this topic…
Practically speaking, how can a person develop self-discipline in his or her life?
Here are some things that have helped me through the years:
1. Start Small. Start with your room. Clean it, then keep it clean. When something is out of place, train yourself to put it where it belongs. Then extend the discipline of neatness to the rest of your home.
2. Be on time. That may not seem very spiritual, but it’s important. If you’re supposed to be somewhere at a specific time, be there on time. Develop the ability to discipline your desires, activities, and demands so that you can arrive on time.
3. Do the hardest job first. When you do that, you will find it easier to do the simpler tasks.
4. Organize your life. Plan the use of your time; don’t just react to circumstances. Use a calendar and make a daily list of things you need to accomplish. If you don’t control your time, everything else will.
5. Accept correction. Correction helps make you more disciplined because it shows you what you need to avoid. Don’t avoid criticism; accept it gladly.
6. Practice self-denial. Learn to say no to your feelings. Learn to do what you know to be right even if you don’t feel like doing it. Sometimes it’s even beneficial to deny yourself things that are acceptable to have, like a doughnut in the morning or dessert after dinner. Exercising such self-restraint helps you develop the habit of keeping other things under control. Cultivating discipline in the physical realm will help you become disciplined in your spiritual life.
7. Welcome responsibility. When you have an opportunity to do something that needs to be done, volunteer for it if you have talent in that area. Accepting responsibility can force you to organize yourself.
Do you have a tip that you would add to the list? How do you seek to bring order into your daily life?
Photo: Jan Willem Geertsma
Whew! Okay this is very practical and helpful. You know I adore Johnny Mac, but I was a bit stressed approaching this post as it most certainly applies to me! I can handle this! Granted, I know in my heart that I can handle harder steps towards obeying the Lord if done in the Lord’s strength, but it is reassuring to see a few manageable ones just the same
!
This is a great list of practical advice! One tip of my own… start working on this well before having kids as working on it after (as I’ve learned) is much harder and if you’ve already started disciplining yourself well before hand it will be easier to simply continue what you’ve already been doing. However, you’ll also want to realize that having kids changes your daily life 100%, still you’ll have been practicing principles that you can apply toward your new life with kids!
I struggle with this kind of stuff. I LoVE how free I feel when I’m on top of my game and everything is organized and done right, but consistency is hard for me. I’m really on for a while and then it all goes to pot, and I give up because I’ve failed. Thanks for sharing the simple list. I might print it out and stick it to my bulletin board.
Great list – but I would add a “be gracious to yourself” b/c while in my own discipline training, nothing gets me more discouraged than after I miss the mark; I get upset at myself. I need to remind myself that missing it isn’t the biggest mistake just made, it’s not being humble to learn from it and try again — because His grace is sufficient.
Having an accountability partner – someone great at discipline – would be beneficial. Giving him/her the advance okay to keep up with you in an area, say organization, will free them up to correct you, send you ideas to help out.
And I started decluttering in the Kitchen, b/c with 8 in our family – it really needed a good system! But next on my list is our master bedroom. I think if we make our room a haven for Brad & I, we’ll sleep better and wake brighter — and hopefully more energized to tackle the day!
Practicing Self-Discipline is the one I’m going to embrace most right now. Conviction coupled with encouragement is the only way I move forward! Thanks for the post – it hit the spot!
Love this list! I needed this greatly – I think we all do to some extent, but some of us like myself probably more than others! 2 things I can add to the list – wake up at the same time every day, make your bed as soon as you get up, get dressed before you move about the house, and make morning prayer a priority! These things, when I do them (eep!) help me stay on track and be productive all day.
Also, sad self promotion here, I just started my own blog up, and I’d love for you or anyone else to check it out should you care to! I’d love feedback. =o)
http://theupwardcallblog.blogspot.com