The Spiritual Shift: Say #9 Time / Self-Discipline

                            Day #9 Time / Self-Discipline

"Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom." ~Psalm 90:12

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,
but gives us power, love and self-discipline." ~2 Timothy 1:7

What can we learn about time and self-discipline from game nights? Growing up, the adults would gather at the dining room table and play the card game Pitch; laughter and snacks filled the room for hours. The light-hearted banter would reach a louder volume when my dad would boldly proclaim he was going to "shoot the moon." How quickly his boisterous arrogance shifted to a subdued bemoaning of his partners--those who let him down in his quest. Undeterred, he would gather the cards and shuffle, getting ready for the next hand.

The kids had our own versions of the fun; we would choose board games like Sorry or Trouble, or maybe card games like Go Fish or Uno. The games brought us together around an area, and we had a sense of purpose and belonging during those precious, laughter-filled hours.

Today's board games have evolved and become multi-faceted. The pieces and the directions can be quite complex and take someone with a doctorate to decipher in order to teach the rest of the group. Too many times I have been sadly unsuccessful at these games. While I have still enjoyed the fun of the process, I have come to the end of the game and the final tabulation of the results only to realize how horribly I have missed the mark. Like a person presenting a coupon that they didn't realize expired a month ago, I sit in disbelief when the final tally uncovers that I came in last place. How?--How could this be?

In these modern games, there are often quests and side-quests; I almost always become side-tracked by the side-quest to the point of missing the point. In our day-to-day lives as Christ followers, help us surrender to the Holy Spirit so that we do not miss the eternal point.

Our routine:

Assessment: What is the current condition of my relationship with time and self-discipline?

• What is the purpose of this relationship?

• What is the state of this relationship? What is going well? What isn’t?

• What changes need to be made to this relationship?

Adjustment: What is our current relationship with time? How is our self-discipline? Do we have a problem with focus? Given what we have discovered about ourselves over the past 8 days, what kind of shift do we need to make in these areas and in our priorities?

Romans 12:1-2 (We looked at one of these verses yesterday, but we expand the view today.)

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."

I Corinthians 9:24-27

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."

Matthew 16:24-27

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to to what they have done.'"

Let's go back to game night for a moment. Back to the table of the final tabulations; remember how confused--how blindsided I was at the idea that I had lost? I enjoyed playing; I took my turn and appeared to be doing just great. Remember how I had lost my focus and perspective. It is one thing to make this strategic error on game night; it is a tragedy to make the same type of critical error in our day-to-day life with our time and our self-discipline.

Help from the Holy Spirit is available!

James 1:5

"If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

Colossians 3:1-2

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

God's Word provides the instructions; our community is where we are to put the instructions into practice. Let us become skilled at following God's instructions for us each and every day. 

Prayer: 

God, we are so thankful for the lives You have given us. Help us to see You in action in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Help us to use our time for Your glory rather than for our own glory in this broken world. We need Your help in disciplining ourselves to an eternal focus. Thank You for Your loving guidance. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." ~Romans 12:18