photo by Hanna
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:11 (NIV2011)
I finished Reshaping It All last week, and I truly can't recommend the book highly enough. I'm planning to work my way through it again and dig in after my speedy first read. There's a lot of meat in there that I want to explore more.
That isn't to say that my quick read wasn't profitable - overwhelmingly, I've come away with the sense that I need to work on discipline.
I've often thought, and have written before, that will-power is a word I'm not fond of. We tend to think that will-power is some magical power we should be able to call upon...but in reality, I think it's probably a word we came up with because we don't like the word discipline. Discipline brings with it feelings of work and deprivation...which is true...but if we continue with it, it brings with it the life change that leads to freedom.
I'm amazing at a few days of eating well and hitting the gym hard...and I'm pretty good at it for a week or two...but somewhere around one month or so - where everyone says the habits should be set - I falter.
It's that in the long run where my struggle lies.
It's at that point of complacency - where it should be habit - that I start to feel comfortable and temptation hits hardest.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8
It's a fine line between becoming disciplined and becoming complacent, and I think perhaps there is where my issue lies...and truly, that's not just with health and wellness but with most areas of my life.
A little something for me to think and pray about over the next few weeks.
How about you? Where does your biggest temptation lie? Where do you struggle with discipline?
Food, anger and coffee....I'm dealing right now with my "weak" person...that person that shows up when the strong Felecia is too exhausted to muscle through...that person always "deserves" something...a coffee, a new magazine, something sweet...I need to learn to first of all RELAX the "stong" person and understand that indulgence is not always something I "need."
Posted by: Felecia | May 11, 2011 at 02:02 PM
It was a great book! I need to read it again. I tried to follow along with the 65 days to Reshaping It All but couldn't keep up. I get overwhelmed if I try to follow too many online things. I was really happy with my size before I had my 3rd child. I still have 20 unwanted lbs. on me and he is 5 years old :( Sugar is my downfall. Food just tastes too good and I struggle with portion control.
Posted by: Ingrid | June 15, 2011 at 06:37 PM