By Chris Fields
Discipline seems to be a glossed-over aspect of Christianity, which seems odd and contradictory since the word “Christian” denotes the practice of a particular discipline, the discipline of learning and practicing of the teachings of Christ.
Discipline can mean a way of life, but it can also mean correction. The Bible tells us in Proverbs that the Lord disciplines those He loves. It doesn’t denote how He disciplines or which form of discipline, it just says that He does it – yet receiving correction and following instructions or a set of teachings seems to be easier said than done. Is this because making the necessary corrections is hard or that changing our behavior isn’t always the most comfortable thing to do? We would rather make excuses than make corrections.
We are taught, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” but do you even know thyself enough to do that? Self-actualization is actually a biblical concept. So are self-awareness, self-correction and self-discipline. As a matter of fact, the Bible implores us to get ourself together prior to attempting to get others together, and in theory, if we are constantly self-correcting based on God’s standards, we will always be getting ourselves together, leaving no time to concern ourself with anyone else.
Making sure you have control of all your faculties is the best way you can be for anyone else. Being disciplined in Christ is the best way to be. Contrary to popular belief, God won’t make you change. He won’t make you do anything. It’s against His will. He’ll only show you what needs to be changed, and it’s up to you to make those necessary changes.
In our practice we encounter a lot of people who don’t understand that concept of self-management. This is how the concept works: We provide the necessary information, and we provide tips and proven ways to implement that knowledge into your everyday life, based on our experience and expertise; then you implement it. The ongoing process after the initial evaluation and implementation is re-evaluation (our responsibility) and re-implementation (your responsibility). That’s it! Nothing more than that – yet for a lot of people it seems like the most foreign concept.
God has put processes in place and He has already made provisions for you to walk in His divine health and healing naturally and supernaturally. He’s placed people along your path to provide you with the necessary information that will help you tap into His plan of health and healing. Now it’s time for you to do your part.
I’m saying this on the heels of a long day of client interactions of constant reiteration, but course correction is always necessary for us to know where we are and what we need to do to stay disciplined. It’s empowering. In order for us to HEAL Mississippi, we have to self-HEAL first, and the rest will take care of itself.
Chris Fields is executive director of H.E.A.L. Mississippi, a nonprofit whose mission is to reduce the impact of diabetes and other cardiometabolic disease in Mississippi. Our vision is to establish a high-quality, easily accessible standard of care for diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases. God created us to be whole and healthy, and He’s made provisions for us to walk in His divine plan related to our health and healing.
