I have a theory about discipline: everyone has it. We’re all disciplined.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Pastor Geoff, you didn’t see me last night when I downed a whole bag of Doritos binge-watching my show!” Here’s what I mean. We’re all disciplined at what we want to be disciplined at. You might think you’re not disciplined enough to get to the gym because you haven’t been in six months. But you aredisciplined, because you haven’t missed a Cowboys game in six seasons!
I joke, but it’s true. To lead a purpose-filled, fulfilling life, we’ve got to focus our discipline on what really matters. Often, this means passing on what we would consider good to go after what’s best.
Athletes have to do this all the time. They might have to give up that Big Mac before a game—not because it’s bad to have every now and then, but because they know it’s not the best fuel for their body. They recognize that there’s a prize at stake. And that prize has a price—discipline.
As believers, we’re all running the race of life to win one ultimate prize—the prize of heaven. Don’t hear me wrong, though. The prize is not entering into heaven, because Scripture makes it clear that we enter heaven through grace, not works. Our prize is how we enter heaven. Will we end our race with regret? Or will we end it with the satisfaction of a race well-run?
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NLT) Paul writes, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.”
In a sports race and in our faith-race—discipline keeps us from being disqualified. But we won’t become disciplined simply because we want to. We won’t miraculously start attending church more regularly, reading our Bible more consistently, or praying more passionately. No, we’ll grow in the disciplines of our faith when we learn to keep our focus on the prize of entering heaven well.
That focus will then produce a passion to choose what’s best over what’s good. And yes, there will be times we grow weary. But when we do, we can tap into the power available to all believers—the Holy Spirit, who works in our weakness to give us the strength to carry on. One day, we’ll all cross the finish line of our race on earth. So, let’s keep our eyes on the prize, embracing passion for discipline, and tapping into the Holy Spirit’s power. Then, we’ll enter eternity having run a race God’s proud of!
