“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

“Discipline is freedom.” Wrap your brain around that! I read through Foster’s book with an equal amount of conviction and excitement about a disciplined life. I’ve always considered myself a relatively disciplined person (at least in a few areas) but I know I could use an adjustment here and there. I learned a long time ago that praying for God to help me be disciplined was crazy talk like praying for longer hair or bigger muscles. Discipline is a choice and a daily decision. It’s not just going to come over you by supernatural influence.

The thing I’ve found though, is that it really DOES bring freedom! I meet with people all the time that are struggling. They struggle with their commitment to Christ, they struggle with their weight, they struggle with their marriage, they struggle with… everything! It astounds me how many times the answer just comes back to discipline. To the struggling believer, I ask, “How’s your prayer life?” The answer is usually a long list of activities that are taking priority over prayer. I see friends struggling with their weight that just can’t seem to establish a discipline of exercise and restraint, pastors with declining churches that won’t discipline themselves to read, grow, and learn a better way, and families falling apart that fail to discipline themselves to say no to all the things that compete for their time together.

I know that’s a pretty general approach to many of the problems that we face. My intention is not to come off as insensitive and all “Drill Sargent-y”. But isn’t it much easier to wish than it is to take practical steps to do? I turned my life over to Christ 25 years ago. I’ve seen many wonderful people turn away from the faith during that time, and I have the pleasure of worshiping alongside others who were with me when I made the most important decision ever. When I look at the lives of those who fell away, gave up the fight, and abandoned their relationship with God, I find only one common thread, only one difference between them and those who are still serving Him today, and it’s a lack of discipline to seek God. That’s it! We all had similar problems, obstacles, and issues. It’s just that the disciplined ones stayed. Hence the old saying, “He who prays stays, and he who fasts lasts“.

There’s an old man in his 90s that I know from the YMCA. His name is Ernie. He swims six days a week! Because of his discipline, he has energy, he’s strong, mobile, and sharp as can be. He didn’t start swimming when he turned 90. He’s been doing it for decades, and now he experiences a great deal of freedom for a man his age. Many men, younger than him, come into the gym feeble, sickly, and tired because they they spent so many years without discipline and now they’re there under doctor’s orders. I don’t know about you, but I want to be like Ernie!

Being disciplined helps you to last. It brings freedom from bondage. It conditions you to serve better. It creates a condition in you that allows God to transform you!

If you don’t believe me, give it a try. Pick a discipline, like prayer or reading, and stick to it every day for six weeks.  You WILL notice a difference!  Your desires change.  You start to long for the good stuff.  Your capacity for achievement increases because you’re growing and expanding.  Your mind even starts to sharpen because you’re forcing yourself to develop new habits (a side effect to counter-intuitiveness).

I believe so strongly in the power of discipline that, if it doesn’t help you, I’ll refund the money I charged you for reading this blog ;)

One last thing.  If you do decide to give it a try, think about posting your benefits on this blog.  You never know who you’ll encourage!

With tears in his eyes and as much attitude that he could muster, my six-year-old son looked at me, flexed his right bicep, and yelled, “I’m as strong as a bear!” He took a pillow smash in the face from his older brother and it hurt.  He just didn’t want anyone to know it.  I tried to comfort him and intervene but he wasn’t interested.  He just wanted everyone to know how strong he was.

He spent all night preparing a sermon he thought would mark a turning point in his church.  He preached it with passion, then punctuated it with a well rehearsed song.  When the appeal was made, no one responded.  It was like God slept in that Sunday.  What happened?

2nd Corinthians 12:9-10 says, “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Our weakness is the condition that allows God to work! He works in us and through us when we are weak.  Every time I read this passage I’m amazed.  “My power works best in weakness.”  He didn’t say, “My power works best when your strong.” or “My power works best when you keep your chin up.”

Paul didn’t say that the power of Christ worked through him because of his speaking ability, education, ministry budget, musical talent, new sound system, or Bible software either.  I’m not against those things but it floors me how many ministers will spend five hours preparing their message and five minutes preparing their heart.

It’s our weakness that drives us to our knees. It’s our weakness that keeps us centered on Jesus.  It’s our frailty that allows Him to comfort us, heal us, and give us wisdom when we’re hurting or afraid.

In ministry, it’s the awareness of how feeble we are that keeps us fully depending on God to move, instead of using our talents to manipulate people to respond to our message.  When we realize how truly useless we are without Him and cry out to him for help, then He can move in and do what only He can do.

So be free to be weak.  You really aren’t as strong as a bear.  Your abilities, talents, and budget are needed and are good things, but they really won’t change the world.  When we stop flexing our muscle, God will flex His.  And when He flexes… it changes everything.

I’ve been reading lately about the confessions of Patrick and Augustine.  They had struggles and shortcomings just like me and you, yet they had a profound impact for Christ on the world around them.  Most of us would be honored to accomplish one tenth of what these men did.  In our impotence and ineffectiveness, we feel the need to put on masks to hide the things we feel would tarnish our public image.  The appearance of having it all together even supersedes the need to reach out when we need help, or seek counsel when we’re hurting.  It’s strange since these men let it all hang out and changed the world anyway.

So, if these men can lay themselves bare, with great faith in God’s covering, why can’t we?  Why do we, like Adam, hide our nakedness even from God?  Maybe it’s because everyone’s doing it.  Maybe if someone else would start, a chain reaction of transparency and vulnerability would occur, allowing God to mightily use these broken vessels that seem to only want to be carefully displayed.  Since someone has to start, I think I will.

My upbringing was far from the traditional nuclear family.  My folks divorced when I was still in grade school.  My mom had to go to work to raise my brother and me, which left me alone to find all sorts of trouble to get into, including watching some very inappropriate things on television,  ding dong ditching the neighbors, and being a general pest alongside my friends.  I wasn’t great in school and secured my ranking as average in most of my classes.  I wrestled in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade but never actually won a match.

In high school, I found a relationship with Christ in a major way.  Unfortunately, I was a pharisee and would harshly judge people.  I had a sarcastic side a mile wide and would bring some people to tears by getting a laugh at their expense.  I dated the wrong girl and barely made it to graduation with my virginity intact.  I learned some things about myself, during my teenage years, that would really hurt me later in life.  I had charm, wit, and charisma and I knew how to use them to sail through certain things instead of patiently doing the hard work that prepares us for greater service.

I dropped out of college early because I already had a decent preaching ministry (thanks to charm and charisma) and I thought school was “for suckers”.  I felt the impact of that decision when I failed my first credentialing exam.  I burned bridges during those early ministry years by taking an “I’m going to say whatever I feel God is telling me to” attitude instead of taking the role of a servant.

When I transitioned from speaker to youth pastor, I spoke ill of my senior leader and got fired.  It wasn’t the only time I was fired from a ministry position and had to learn many lessons the hard way.  I’ve attempted to pioneer a couple of ministries that ended when I tucked my tail between my legs and gave up.  I came up with grand excuses and logical reasons for quitting, but in the end it was because I just couldn’t hack it.

I’ve wasted away many hours with distractions, diversions, and a complete lack of focus.  I’ve lied about my efforts, distorted results, and manipulated perceptions.  I’ve stolen, cheated, and allowed things in my “ear-gates” and “eye-gates” that don’t belong.  I am, in short, a complete mess.

But…

But God’s grace has been all over me like a warm blanket.  He’s used this big pile of broken, dysfunctional mess to make a difference in the lives of young and old.  He’s lovingly humbled me and used me to bless others.  He’s used me to build significant student ministries.  He’s sent me overseas to be a blessing to pastors.  He’s allowed me to lead large groups of young people in passionate prayer.

The Lord has placed wonderful mentors in my life to teach, guide, and disciple me.  I’ve had the honor of “carrying the cloak” of men with powerful ministries and exceptional leadership skills.  He’s given me a great love for reading and has taught me things that have changed my ministry paradigm; things that I’ve been able to pass on to others.

I’ve had the thrill of working alongside major movie actors and directors.  I’ve been on the set of an Oscar winning production.  I’ve worked behind the camera, in front of the camera, and on the air.

I’ve shared in churches and in media all over the country and in Ireland.  I’m seriously amazed at the opportunities God has given this uneducated, distracted, mess of a man.  Want to know what the greatest thing is though?

My family.  When I look at my kids, I don’t see the loneliness and brokenness I felt as a child.  They’re healthy and they love Jesus with all their heart!  God made me a good dad and THAT is a miracle!  I’m crazy about my wife of almost 18 years too! I know this is His hand because I couldn’t stick with anything for more than three months, twenty years ago.

God’s tenacious grace has rooted itself deep into my soul.  I’m bound to it and it to me.  I’m nothing without it so I’m immeasurably grateful for it.  That’s my confession.

What’s yours?