In her book, Discipline: The Glad Surrender, Elisabeth Elliot defines discipline as
“…the whole hearted yes to the call of God. When I know myself called, summoned, addressed, taken possession of, known, acted upon, I have heard the Master. I put myself gladly, fully, and forever at His disposal, and whatever He says my answer is yes.†(pg. 18)
But, discipline is not a word that is well-received in a culture given to permissiveness and “freedom.â€Â It is seen as limiting, constraining, or restrictive. And, in some sense, it is. It takes work, commitment, and often, sacrifice. But, as Hebrews 12:11 tells us
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.†(ESV)
And, 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says,
“…On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.†(NASB)
Discipline, for the purpose of godliness, though perhaps not pleasant, results in a life of righteousness.  In my (very limited) experience, I have found that the most godly men and women – both today, and from history – are, or were, extremely disciplined people…in every area of life – spiritually, mentally, physically.
I found this list (written by one such man, John MacArthur) a year ago on a friend’s blog. I saved it, and have reviewed it many times. Being that today is the start of a new year, and talk often turns to resolutions, and the reevaluation of the previous year’s goals and habits, I thought that it was particularly appropriate for re-posting. I do not pretend that I have “arrived†in this area. But it is certainly something I strive for in my life – both today, and in the year to come!
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Begin with Small Things—It’s the little things that make for the big successes. They may not be important in themselves, but Jesus said, “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much†(Luke 16:10).
Clean Your Environment—Start with your desk and room. Learn to be discontent with a mess. Leave a place better than you found it, never worse.
Make a Schedule—Learn to anticipate things and plan accordingly to make things go smoother for everyone concerned.
Wean Yourself Off from Being Entertained—Learn to be productive when you find yourself with extra time. Read something worthwhile, have an edifying conversation, take a walk with someone …
Be on Time—Order your universe so you can arrived clothed and in your right mind! Being on time as a habit communicates volumes about how seriously you regard your work and the people you work with.
Keep Your Word—Even in small matters. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Learn to accurately evaluate your time, talent, and resources. The only way to do that is to discipline yourself.
Do the Hardest Task First—That keeps it from remaining undone, and you from becoming a procrastinator.
Finish What You Start—Making that commitment helps you not to be hasty in committing yourself to something you shouldn’t be, but also not to be a quitter once you’ve made the commitment.
Practice Self Denial—Show yourself who’s boss! Prove to yourself you can say no when you want to and that you don’t live at the whim of impulse.
Volunteer for Tasks—This helps you grow as a person, and requires that you’ve learned to leave space in your life. It also requires that you’ve developed enough order in your life to know when and how you are available to serve others.
(These are principles from Pastor John MacArthur, who said that the most important decision he made after receiving Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord was deciding to live a disciplined life.)Â