Training the WillSample

What If We Did?

I regularly encounter men whose bulging muscles, successful careers, diet changes, exceptional grades, and/or excellence in hobbies result from self-discipline.

I also encounter men suffering from their lack of self-discipline; they’re more present to their screens than their families, they’re in bondage to sinful behaviors, and/or they spend money they don't have and neglect wise living.

There is a cultural movement calling us to be disciplined in pursuing whatever we deem to be worth it. Podcasts, books, and articles on these topics are everywhere. They call us to recognize our power to choose, to choose the ends we’ll live for, and to be disciplined in pursuing them.

We need to be careful. The self-help movement has some good stuff, but Christ isn’t calling us to disciplined pursuit of whatever we find most meaningful.

Christ is calling us to a self-disciplined pursuit of Him and His Kingdom.

Hebrews 11 tells the story of those heroes of Scripture who famously chose the right pursuit. Many are nameless, and all were human beings who got it wrong sometimes. The point of the chapter isn’t to hold up their great deeds of self-discipline but to point to the eternal value of following Jesus. God took the raw material of their faith and used it to shape the world.

After telling their stories, the author of Hebrews calls us to follow in their footsteps by “fixing our eyes on Jesus” and throwing off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

Our church has “Rule of Life” communities for men and women. In them, men and women talk and pray about the things I’ve written about this week. One of my greatest joys in the last five years has been seeing people change as they learn the disciplined pursuit of Christ.

My brother would have described himself as “undisciplined” a few years ago. He admits his discipline was lacking in areas varying from finances to spiritual practices. That’s changed radically in a few years, and the impact of his life and the depth of his faith have changed, too.

This is what God does. He takes ordinary men and schools them in eternal living.

If you’re doing this, keep going. If you’ve failed or fallen, see the God who loves you and invites you back into the race. Don’t give up! Jesus is changing the world, and He wants men to join Him!

Prayer: Lord, help me seek first Your Kingdom and righteousness. Show me Your worth, and help me fix my eyes on You. Amen.

Reflection: Do you tend to be most disciplined in pursuing Christ or other things? Take stock of the areas in which you’re most disciplined and talk to God about what it looks like to be more disciplined in your pursuit of Him.

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