Day 174 - Living with Self-Discipline

Carley Sheppard

“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” – Proverbs 12:1 ESV

“For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” – Titus 1:8 ESV

If providing discipline is to give training or corrections, then being self-disciplined means living by that training. As a leader, you must be able to receive both teaching and constructive feedback. It’s also important to know when to have self-control. Maybe you don’t have to follow a strict diet for the rest of your life, but if you have Diabetes, you may want to decrease your sugar consumption. If you tend to over-drink, you may want to refrain from alcohol altogether.

John Maxwell’s 17th law (The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership) is The Law of Priorities. You choose what priorities and values you’re going to follow. You may have received feedback from your doctor, parents, mentor, or God that shaped your beliefs and convictions. Following those beliefs is then what determines if you’re living with self-discipline.

It’s important to know that God’s discipline will not always match the world’s discipline. For example, Daniel was an excellent leader and a model of someone living with godly discipline in the Bible. One day, the king offered Daniel food and wine, but he refused the king’s food because he knew it wasn’t aligned with what God wanted for him. In the end, Daniel and his friends were ten times smarter than anyone else in the kingdom (Daniel 1:20). Daniel followed God’s direction, exhibited self-discipline, and was rewarded for it. In the same way, when we follow God’s guidance and live by it, we will be rewarded!

Next Steps

  • Think about it: Do you think that you exhibit self-discipline? Why or why not?

  • Think about it: Where do you need to practice self-discipline the most?

  • Action Step: Implement one practical step you can take to practice self-discipline today.

Resources