I think one of the hardest things for me to face and deal with is self-discipline!  In some areas of my life, I have very little problem with this, but in others, I find it more than difficult.  For example:  It is easy for me to practice spiritual self-discipline, which motivates me to read scripture and spend time in prayer daily, but it is a continual challenge to practice physical discipline, which motivates me to eat right and exercise on a regular basis.  I know the value and benefits of both, but for me, one is easy and the other is tough!  I have a friend who says that it is reversed for her!  She finds the physical easy and the spiritual hard!

We often know what we need to do, but find it difficult to grow the motivation and resolve to do it!  Why is it that we find self-discipline easy in some situations and difficult in others?  I guess if we ever figure out the answer to that question, then we will really have something!

Self Discipline is getting yourself to do the things you need to do, when you need to do them, whether you feel like it or not!  It’s pushing yourself to do what needs to be done, because it needs to be done!  There are many days in my life when I find something I know I need to do, but I don’t really want to do.  The thing that helps me to face the tough stuff and get the difficult things done is an exercise I like to call “Weighing The Pain!”

Someone once said:  “We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.  The difference is discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons.”  When I actually take the time to “Weigh The Pain”, I usually find that one little spark of motivation that will carry me forward and help me to do what I don’t really want to do!

Do you know how to get really good at something?  Practice!  Here are a few ideas to help you begin to practice the art of self-discipline:

1.) Figure out the result that you are looking for!  What is your goal?  Goals have amazing power to pull you forward toward results that really make a difference!  Figure out what you are shooting for and you are halfway there!

2.) Weigh the difference between the pain of regret and the pain of discipline!  The discipline may hurt a little now, but it is much better than a lot of hurt from the pain of regret later!  Be honest with yourself and this will move you, when nothing else can!

3.) Divide And Conquer!  Figure out what you need to do and break it down into manageable tasks.  Create a check list (1,2,3) of what you need to do and start checking things off of the list as soon as possible.  When you come up on one of the difficult things, grin, put your head down and plow forward!

The Bible puts it this way:  “24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

You can do this and when you take the time to actually put it into practice, you will be amazed at the results and you will be glad you did!

I was reading a friends post on Facebook the other day and was very impressed at their gratitude!  They were simply expressing thankfulness to God for some of the simple and often taken for granted things in our lives.  I thought it might be a good idea for all of us to make ourselves take a little bit of time to think about what we are thankful for.

Every now and then when my girls start to get a little selfish or when they get a little to full of themselves, then I will encourage them to sit down with a pen and piece of paper and make a “Thankfulness List”, in which they list every single thing they can think of that they have to be thankful for.  I really make them think about everything, especially the small things.

When we actually take the time to stop and be thankful, it changes everything!  Take a little time today to think about what you have to be thankful for and then in some way share your thankfulness with the rest of the world! You will be glad you did!

One of my favorite shows growing up was the “A-Team!”  I loved to hear Hannibal, the leader of the group with a cigar in one side of his mouth utter these words out of the other side of his mouth:  “I Love It When A Plan Comes Together!”  This is just how I feel a lot of Sunday mornings when we gather together to fellowship with each other, worship our Creator and minister to the world.

It does not all work exactly the way that we planned it, but enough of the plan works for us to be able to see the mighty hand of our God moving to touch and grow our lives!  This morning started out very special with many of the Northwood family joining together for our first of many fellowship breakfasts.  It was so amazing to see children, teenagers, adults and senior adults coming together to begin a great day of worship and service.  I love to see the smiles on the faces and hearing the conversations and laughter.  I believe this is worship without our even trying to worship!

We then had eight of our classes embark on a new journey of seeking to understand how God works through all situations, both good and bad to accomplish amazing and mighty things in our lives.  The discussion was meaningful, the insights were pure and the challenge was clear.

Worship began with a really neat video that had to make you think!  I am so thankful that I have a Savior, Who did for me what I could not do for myself!  We then were treated to an extra special miracle, when a little girl who just three years ago, we were not sure that she would live and if she did live, it could be with very serious limitations.  today that little girl stood in front of the congregation that prayed and ask God for a miracle and sang with all of her heart to give her God and healer the glory!  Thank to the Stewart and Wilborn families for working together to share a very special treat with the Northwood family.

The praise team and choir did another excellent job of using music to guide us into the presence of the author and giver of AMAZING GRACE!  What a blessing to see and hear smiling faces, raised hands and united voices giving praise to where praise is due!  Very thankful for the men and women who take time out of their schedule each week to be a vital part of a very important team .

God wants to write an amazing story in and upon your life.  The devil wants to write a destructive story about your life.  If you are reading this, then the good news is:  There is still time to write an amazing story!

Today, God began the process of trying to help us to think by challenging us and hopefully inspiring and encouraging us to make some commitments that will change everything.

Life does not always work the way you plan it and for this very reason, it is easy to get discouraged.  But often, when we get to the end of ourselves, then we get to the beginning of God and the amazing plans that He has for our lives.

Many times in the living of our life, God will initiate change.  We tend to miss this change, because we don’t want to see it or because we are so caught up in our own stuff.  Jesus invites you to invite Him to take you on the RIDE OF YOUR LIFE, which means that you have a choice to make.

You have to decide to trust what you know or step out on faith.  Stepping out on faith, allows God to show up and do things that cannot be explained.  God gets the glory and all of us live in the blessing.  This is not an easy way or place to live!

You have to move out of your comfort zone!  It will not be easy to move out of your comfort zone.  It is going to be hard, but hard is not impossible for the child of God!  God can do, will do, has done and is doing the incredible, unexplainable and amazing!

Moving out of your comfort zone takes time.  It does not happen instantly.  The good things take time.  The amazing story that God wants to write in, upon and through your life can’t happen with instant gratification, but it can happen with continued faith and trust in the One who made you and keeps you made!

Jesus wants to do outrageous, amazing and unexplainable things in our lives!  What are the dreams you dream, prayers your pray and hopes you grow?  God has made you to live an amazing story, but you have to be willing to step out of your self-written and limited story and into the amazing story that God has been writing for all eternity!

We all have work to do and God is here willing to help us to help ourselves for His glory and man’s blessing!