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Small Disciplines, Big Difference 

Have you ever looked at someone’s life—maybe an Olympian, an athlete, or just someone you admire—and thought you could never be as disciplined as they are? We’ve all been there. It’s easy to feel like discipline is reserved for the most talented among us. But discipline doesn’t develop overnight. 

Pastor Craig Groeschel says it this way: “The small decisions no one sees produce the results that everyone wants.” 

That Olympian has spent their entire life pursuing that medal. From early morning alarms to long hours of training, to choosing to eat and rest well—their success was not a one-time event but the product of daily decisions that added up. And that’s how discipline works. 

Normally, we know how the cycle goes. Maybe at the beginning of the year, you set some resolutions for yourself. Maybe this is the year you’ll eat well or go to the gym or start reading the Bible every day (which, if that’s yours, you’re doing it!). But then by February, some of our old habits creep in. We miss a day. We have a cheat week. And then we’re back to square one. 

But we can’t give up every time we give in. If we do, we’ll never develop discipline. So, where can we start? How can we make sure that this year, we pursue the greater reward of discipline? 

We have to start small, stay consistent, and pre-decide our disciplines. In fact, the best way to start and stay disciplined is by remembering your reason for doing it in the first place. Why? Because you can overcome a painful discipline with a powerful principle. 

We see this play out several times in Daniel’s story. Daniel and his friends were kidnapped by the Babylonians, who changed their names and proceeded to indoctrinate them in the Babylonian culture. But Daniel worshiped the true God, and he didn’t want to make compromises. 

Enter the power of a pre-decision. Daniel knew the food his captors were giving to him was offered up to idols, which was dishonoring to God. So he decided not to eat it. Here’s how strong his resolve was: 

But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Daniel 1:8 NLT 

Daniel made a decision before he was tempted. He didn’t wait until the overpowering scent of the food weakened his resolve. Before he was tempted, he decided to be disciplined. And he knew his principle for saying no was more powerful than the temptation to say yes. 

After only eating vegetables, Daniel and his friends turned out to be the strongest men among all the other captives. And Daniel kept making disciplined decisions like this throughout his life. 

Later on, when King Nebuchadnezzar decided to force everyone to worship a gold statue, Daniel and his friends refused, and God showed up in a powerful way. Many years later, King Darius issued a decree requiring that people pray only to him. Daniel again refused, continuing to pray to God like he had regularly. 

Pretty incredible story, right? But Daniel couldn’t make those tough decisions without daily surrendering to God through a habit of regular prayer. So, if you want to be disciplined, start small. Choose one habit to start. And pick one principle to keep you steady. Like Daniel, that pre-decision to do what’s right over what’s easy will pay off in the long run. 

Challenge: What’s one small discipline you can start? What Scripture, truth, or principle will you use to keep you focused?