I Was Taught Discipline
My home life growing up consisted of being taught how to please God and to do that, my parents used the Bible. It was a life of being taught discipline and I wouldn't say that the discipline was in regards to getting things done around the house or even successfully getting us to master our emotions, but it was drilled into us that we needed to stay on task and put God first in everything, loving Him alone, saying no to the excess of temptations of all kinds. We were children, and with raising children, most of the time, they read and attain knowledge of God before they get a chance to practice it or apply it to experience. I guess that's why we are told often to pair up our teaching in teachable moments....the moments where the knowledge is applied practically to the situations they find themselves in.
In many ways as I've grown up, the discipline of reading scripture and memorizing it, routing my life and behaviors back to God in the face of all my own ugliness has helped me over and over and over. This life has been a ride for sure. My very passionate self with its intense feelings and desire for immediate action has always gotten me into a lot of trouble. Feeling intensely in certain things and acting on those feelings has been both good and bad. I've learned through it all. I've made so very many mistakes. And I've grown in many ways. I am thankful for the training of my parents to always go back to God's words in the face of every way of thinking. Im pretty sure it has kept me sane when my thoughts and feelings might have wanted to dictate my behavior in an opposite direction. Or when I've been uncomfortable with things I've gone through and the desire to jump ship. Gods words have helped me see things with the long-view and there are joys found in obedience to Him instead of my ever-fluctuating emotions. Don't think that when I say the word "obedience" that it means I obeyed instantly. Many times I made a mess and turned to Him for help and He helped me learn to trust Him and obey. He helps my will to bend to His perfect one.
Gods word is full of instruction and when you have an open heart to want to please God in full assurance (trust) of His love and acceptance of you as His child, He will make your paths straight. He didn't say He'd make our paths easy. Easy takes us down paths that can lead to dark places. He said He would make our paths straight. He is leading me somewhere and that somewhere is Himself.
I'm a very passionate person and I don't always agree with my parents on many topics - but I will always be thankful to them for their guidance to always go to God before anything else. Seek Him first. It's not been an easy journey, but it has been straight. It hasn't always been instantaneous obedience, but the training that I will find my answers in God alone, has steered me back to Him, time and time again. You won't be perfect, but He will perfect you. Keep up the practice of going back to Him until your way becomes straight. It'll come. Just don't give up because you don't look like that sweet church-friend of yours who always seems to have it all together. Most likely, they would tell you of intensely hard lessons learned over the years in their own journeys with God. Just keep your eyes towards God and God alone and the practice will bring you very close to Him and His precious All. He will be your All Sufficiency.
In many ways as I've grown up, the discipline of reading scripture and memorizing it, routing my life and behaviors back to God in the face of all my own ugliness has helped me over and over and over. This life has been a ride for sure. My very passionate self with its intense feelings and desire for immediate action has always gotten me into a lot of trouble. Feeling intensely in certain things and acting on those feelings has been both good and bad. I've learned through it all. I've made so very many mistakes. And I've grown in many ways. I am thankful for the training of my parents to always go back to God's words in the face of every way of thinking. Im pretty sure it has kept me sane when my thoughts and feelings might have wanted to dictate my behavior in an opposite direction. Or when I've been uncomfortable with things I've gone through and the desire to jump ship. Gods words have helped me see things with the long-view and there are joys found in obedience to Him instead of my ever-fluctuating emotions. Don't think that when I say the word "obedience" that it means I obeyed instantly. Many times I made a mess and turned to Him for help and He helped me learn to trust Him and obey. He helps my will to bend to His perfect one.
Gods word is full of instruction and when you have an open heart to want to please God in full assurance (trust) of His love and acceptance of you as His child, He will make your paths straight. He didn't say He'd make our paths easy. Easy takes us down paths that can lead to dark places. He said He would make our paths straight. He is leading me somewhere and that somewhere is Himself.
I'm a very passionate person and I don't always agree with my parents on many topics - but I will always be thankful to them for their guidance to always go to God before anything else. Seek Him first. It's not been an easy journey, but it has been straight. It hasn't always been instantaneous obedience, but the training that I will find my answers in God alone, has steered me back to Him, time and time again. You won't be perfect, but He will perfect you. Keep up the practice of going back to Him until your way becomes straight. It'll come. Just don't give up because you don't look like that sweet church-friend of yours who always seems to have it all together. Most likely, they would tell you of intensely hard lessons learned over the years in their own journeys with God. Just keep your eyes towards God and God alone and the practice will bring you very close to Him and His precious All. He will be your All Sufficiency.
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