Self-Discipline (Part 2)

Dear Teenager,

Welcome to the concluding part of this teaching. In the previous edition, we established that self-discipline is a crucial tool to succeed as a teenager. This week, we shall dive deeper into Self-Discipline.

Self-discipline is the ability to do what you should be doing. It also means putting off your immediate comfort or wishes in favour of long-term success.

At the heart of any successful person is self-discipline. Whether it is success in their personal or professional lives, it all starts with an inherent ability for self-control through discipline.

According to Elbert Hubbard, “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do and when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”

Some areas you need to be disciplined:

• Thoughts. Your effectiveness as a Christian is determined by how clean your thought life is(2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The Word says:For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he… (Proverbs 23:7). A Christian whose thought life is controlled and subject to God is open to godly change in the rest of his life. But if that Christian’s mind wanders from the things of God, it will be hard for him to receive instructions from God. Everything you do goes by and through your thoughts.
• Emotions. According to the Scripture, our emotions are deeply rooted in our values. As a result of the blessings of life, we feel happiness, joy and contentment. When we encounter the things we consider “bad,” we experience emotions like sadness, grief and anger. Jesus demonstrated this while he was on earth. For instance, when He encountered the stone-hearted and unsympathetic, He became angry (Mark 3:5); the loss of a loved one, He grieved (John 11:35), and when He was faced with agony and death on the cross, He was in deep agony (Luke 22:44).
• Habits. So much of what we do daily is habit-driven. Therefore, developing the right habits will help to instil the right amount of discipline into our lives (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
• Time. We all have 24 hours in a day; the difference is how we use it. We usually have a lot of things we want to get done, and it is important to prioritise our tasks. This way, we would spend time doing the relevant things and make the most of our 24 hours.  The time quadrant is a great way to help prioritise tasks

Self-discipline helps you:

• Wake up early in the morning.
• Read a book and read it to the last page.
• Meditate regularly.
• Avoid acting rashly and on impulse.
• Fulfil promises you make to yourself and others.
• Overcome laziness and procrastination.
• Continue working on a project, even after the initial rush of enthusiasm has faded away.
• Continue working on your diet and resisting the temptation of eating fattening foods or junk.

Practising self-discipline cannot be done in the energy of the flesh; it is only achievable through the help of the Holy Spirit, and until you are born again, you cannot access His help. If you are not born again, please say this prayer of faith: Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner, and I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me with Your Precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. From today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now, I am Born Again.

Congratulations! You are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave or forsake you. With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace, in Jesus’ name! Please write or call to share your testimonies with me through oyedepofaitha@gmail.com OR 08141320204 and 07026385437.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian Bookstores: Make Your Life Count, Holy Spirit Your Helper,and Singles with a Difference.