Day 170 - Discipline in Leadership

Carley Sheppard

“And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.” – Hebrews 12:5-6 NLT

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” – 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

“Great leaders have self-discipline – without exception.” – John Maxwell

This month we have been learning about leadership. This week’s focus is discipline. Let’s break this one down a bit. First, discipline is “the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience” (Dictionary.com). Some synonyms are correction, rebuke, etc. We have self-control which is a fruit of the spirit. Then there’s self-discipline, defined as “the ability to do things you should do even when you do not want to” (Dictionary.cambridge.org). I believe the difference between these two is that self-control occurs in the moment, but self-discipline is the practice of having self-control over a more extended period. It’s a way of life. Lastly, there are the spiritual disciplines. I’ll dive into these further later in the week.

Last week we discussed the importance of being humble and accepting correction. Through the lessons we learn (correction), we operate in self-control over time, leading to self-discipline. The spiritual disciplines are included in our self-discipline. While my flesh may want to hit the snooze button, I know I should wake up and spend time in the Word. It’s not always easy, but I am better for it.

In Hebrews 12:5, the author reminds us of scripture from the Old Testament (Proverbs 3:11-12) teaching us to delight in discipline from the Lord. The Lord disciplines us out of love for us as His children. There is no reason to be afraid of His discipline. When we’re disciplined, we learn, and we become better leaders because of it.

Next Steps

  • Think about it: How do we receive discipline from God?

  • Think about it: Can you think of a time where you received discipline from God? How did you react?

  • Think about it: Can you think of a time where you may have received discipline from a parent or mentor that resulted in growth?

  • Action Step: Pray and thank God for His discipline. Then, ask Him to discipline you more to help you become a better leader.