My alarm buzzed at 4am. Ugh. I rolled over, turned it off, and pressed my face back down in the pillow. I forgot how hard this is.
Jeff got up. I could hear him in the kitchen and I knew what he was doing–making some coffee for me, to lure me out of bed and help me succeed.
My steady man.
Heidi’s words ran through my mind. That–and the promise of that coffee–got me up.
Every morning my two little squirrels do their “presentations.” This is not as impressive as it sounds, but I stole the term from Classical Conversations hoping to convince my kids from an early age that public speaking isn’t scary. It’s basically show-and-tell combined with Bible memorization. They stand in front and answer questions, show some item of interest and talk about it, then recite all their verses.
Listening to little Heidi, in her bird-chirp voice, recite her verses might be my favorite thing in the whole world. Nothing gets them stuck in my head quite like little Heidi’s voice. One of her favorites goes like this:
“Discipline is hard; it is not fun. But it makes us godly, when we’re done!” —Hebrews 12:11
The first half of the verse she says with a long face, drooped shoulders, and an Eyore voice. Then the second half she throws back her shoulders, stands tall, and shouts it with a big smile. Priceless.
And just so stinkin’ true.
Discipline is hard. The verse is right. God’s word is true. The kids don’t like being disciplined or having to show discipline. I don’t love it when God has to send discipline my way, via a rebuke or conviction or poor choice on my part. The kids don’t love picking up their toys. I don’t love running up hills or scrubbing behind the toilet. I don’t love that moment early in the morning where I make my arms push back the warm covers and make my body get up.
But it makes us godly when we’re done!
Because of a number of blessed ministry opportunities, this week turned out much busier than I had anticipated. As I laid everything before God in prayer, He presented two answers. 1) a dear friend texted and asked to take all my dirty laundry and do it for me. What?! Now that’s an answer to prayer. 🙂 And 2) Return to my get-up-at-4am routine.
I wasn’t as excited about #2.
Let me cut to the chase: I am being reminded all over again how incredibly sweet early mornings with the Lord really are. This isn’t a guilt-you-into-getting-up-early post. But I’m being reminded all over again this week: Discipline is hard; it is not fun. But it makes us godly, when we’re done!
And I got to thinking about all the things that are hard, but so good when they’re done.
Budgeting is hard, it is not fun…
Exercising is hard, it is not fun…
Limiting sugar is hard, it is not fun…
Getting up early is hard, it is not fun…
Holding my tongue is hard, it is not fun…
Getting down on my face to pray is hard, it is not fun…
Choosing others above myself is hard, it is not fun…
Training my children is hard, it is not fun…
Cooking and cleaning day after day is hard, it is not fun…
Surrendering and submitting is hard, it is not fun…
But it makes us godly, when we’re done!
The actual verse reads that discipline “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
The peaceful fruit of righteousness. Peaceful fruit. That is what I want in my life. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I do want that in my life. You too, right?
The little rhyme is silly, but perhaps you too can hide it in your heart? It will come to mind at just the right moments–those 4am, hold-your-tongue, run-up-the-hill, scrub-the-toilet moments.
Discipline is hard; it is not fun. But it makes us godly, when we’re done!
7 thoughts on “Discipline is hard, it is not fun”
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ummm first – how cute is that?
second – this early morning thing has been tugging at my heart, my husband is in a season of transition which means we have mornings together again, it also means i don’t have my usual time to read the Bible and pray and do my memory work – i’ve been sensing that the solution might be in an earlier wake up call….
you always bless me so much!
Praise God, Brie for how God confirms! I certainly don’t make the 4am a regular thing all the time, but it certainly does make for sweet mornings with Jesus that are so wonderful! Praying God makes His will so crystal clear for you. Bless you sister!
Conformation, the Lord speaking through you again! We need to see you guys again…soon! I miss you:-)
Praise God, Meliss. I was JUST thinking today how much I miss you girls! How about next week? I could come out there! Let’s get it on the calendar. xoxxo
Kari! As someone who was blessed to witness how God is using you, (at the DCS MOMS group:-) this week, I just wanted to say thank you! I could go on and on about how truth and life and joy were so spoken through you. xoxo
Oh Bonnie, thank you so much for sharing that. I have been afraid what I shared was too intense for the occasion, but I rest in Him and praise Him that He’s using His Word so faithfully! Thank you for your kindness; bless you, girl!
Discipline taught to our sweet young ones leads to self control. Both are essential to character that pleases God, builds up ourselves, our families and our capacity to shine our light on our great God. You are doing a tremendous job in both teaching your children, and in demonstrating the successfully lived struggle of self discipline and godly habits!