Readings for today: 1 Corinthians 9-11
I’ve been a pastor for almost twenty-five years now. I’ve spent thousands of hours counseling hundreds of people in that time. I’ve covered the gamut of issues from addiction and mental health to finances to relationships to spiritual crises to grief and loss to suffering and pain. I am the first to acknowledge I am not a professional. Most of the time, I am simply triaging care and making sure the person gets the help they need from the right authority in their life. But as I’ve listened to all the stories, a clear pattern has emerged, and it has led me to this conclusion…we are the product of the choices we make. Yes, there is much beyond our control. Yes, there are things that happen to us that are tragic and awful. Yes, we cannot control the other people in our lives. Yes, our choices can be limited by physical and mental and emotional disability. But by and large, we still have choices. We can control how we respond to the challenges of life. We can also control what we do proactively on a daily basis to build up our strength and resilience so we can pass the test when the time comes.
I love how the Apostle Paul describes the self-discipline of the Christian life. “Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown. So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 CSB) Perhaps it’s the former athlete in me. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve spent my life competing and training and looking to win the prize. Perhaps it’s the fears I have deep down of falling prey to the generational patterns of addiction, mental illness, or Alzheimer’s that run strong in my family. Whatever it is, I have sought to “discipline my body and bring it under strict control.” I have sought to discipline my mind through serious study and meditation and reflection. I have sought to discipline my heart so I might be humble and selfless in relationships. I have sought to discipline my soul that I might love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. What does this look like for me in my day to day? It means getting seven to eight hours of sleep, something that doesn’t come naturally to me. It means running five to six miles, four to five times a week, and I am not a runner. It means spending time with the Lord each day in silence and solitude through prayer and Bible reading and journaling. It means waking up each day with a prayer on how I can best serve those I love - my family, friends, colleagues, and the church I serve. It means dedicating time for serious thought and reflection and prayer so I have the wisdom I need to lead in the various spheres where God has called me. It means taking a Sabbath every week where I refrain from doing the work I do the other six days and instead spend intentional time in worship and rest and relaxation.
None of this is easy. Self-discipline never is. I often tell people that the hardest opponent they have to face in life is the person staring back at them in the mirror. We are our own worst enemies and we all know it. We beat ourselves up. We tell ourselves all kinds of lies. We spend so much time and energy and resources “running aimlessly” or “boxing like one beating the air.” The result is a series of life choices that lead to all kinds of negative consequences. God has a different plan for our lives but it is a plan that requires self-discipline. It’s why “self-discipline” is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. A gift from God to those who follow Him. The Bible says, “The Lord disciplines those He loves” not because He wants to condemn us but because He wants us to live lives full of blessing and fulfillment.
Readings for tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 12-14