I Am My Own Pupil

In continuing to address the "problem" of discipline I began to ask, "What is discipline?' and "What is self-discipline?"  Historically, the word discipline comes from the same root as disciple. Discipulus in Latin means pupil, and it comes from discere, which means to learn.  Okay, does that mean I am my own pupil to teach?  Well, sort of.

Self discipline does require things like perseverance, endurance, thinking before you act, restraint, following through with plans no matter the inconvenience, or hardship.  It requires self-control and to remember; "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything." (I Corinthians 6:12)  One important characteristic of self-discipline is being able to forgo immediate gratification and pleasure in anticipation of greater gain, a more noble (and hopefully more profound) result.

How does that work in my own life?  In the morning when my alarm goes off at 5:45 my body says, "NO, just a little more sleep!"  For an instant I tell myself that no one would care if I slept in and there is no time clock to punch. Which are both true except that eventually I would care because there are things that need to be done and I am the one who is responsible to do them.

When laundry needs doing, or preparations for dinner, or the pet fur is up to our eyeballs and needing to be vacuumed, or the computer has gotten me in it's trance, or that TV show is on I wanted to watch, but my friends calls to go have fun  Do I tell myself it will all be waiting for me later, risking that I will be overwhelmed "later" with all I have to do and just a bit snippy besides?  Or do I choose the harder thing and get the important things done before I run off and have fun?  Because you often can do both. 

Self-discipline comes into play when you want to buy that "thing" and you really don't need it and can't afford it, so you say no.  Or when that "thing" is something you actually do need but will have trouble affording.  That's when you begin to figure out where sacrifices can be made and corners cut to be able to purchase what you need (the optimum word being need).

Lest you think is is all about structure; it is also self-discipline working when that friend calls in need of your help that allows you to stop and take the time for something so important.  Because one of the better parts of discipline is knowing when and how to be flexible.

You are indeed your own pupil to discipline.  No one else can do this for you.  It comes down (again) to the choices you make and the consequences, good or bad, of those choices.