“Set your goal. Train well. Stay focused. Both physical training and spiritual training take discipline.”

So begins the introduction to Keep on Track.

As Timothy says in chapter four of his first namesake book, we are to train ourselves to be godly. Physical fitness has some benefit, but godliness has long term benefit. Training takes discipline – the discipline of doing what is needed to encourage a desired result. Spiritual training also takes discipline, in order to grow in godliness and flee our fleshly desires. We know we can trust our heavenly Father’s directives, given to us in love. With gratitude and honor we should choose to obey him as the Holy Spirit works in us.

Merriam-Webster defines discipline, for our context, as orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior. Elisabeth Elliot (missionary, writer, wife of slain Jim Elliot) has a beautiful description of discipline, found on page 15 of her encouraging, yet challenging book called Joyful Surrender.

“Discipline is the believer’s answer to God’s call. It is the recognition, not the solution to his problems or the supply of his needs, but of mastery. God addresses us. We are responsible – that is we must make a response. We may choose to say yes and thus fulfill the Creator’s glorious purpose for us, or we may say no and violate it.”

She continues on page 28: “Salvation is a gift, purely a gift, forever a gift. It is grace and nothing else that obtains it for us. Discipline is not my claim on Christ, but the evidence of His claim on me (my italics). I do not ‘make’ Him Lord, I acknowledge Him Lord. To do this in honesty involves the full intention to do His will, that is, to live under the discipline of His Word.” She elaborates that we cannot make this happen solely through our own works. It requires the grace of God, the guidance of Scripture, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Yet we need to act, to put our full trust in God through faith.

As we discipline ourselves to be in communion with the Lord daily, we will be ready and moldable for the Spirit’s work in us.