I did it! I've completed one week of my six month "Do Over". I know it' s only one week but I am so excited about what I've accomplished this last week. It's not been a perfect week and I have had to allow freedom for the ebb and flow of life, but the tiny mountains that I've conquered this week have given me a renewal of hope and determination.
I struggle with sharing this because my greatest mountain this week was my first fast. I don't want to appear boastful or proud. I am rejoicing in the grace that I have been given and in the knowledge that I can have discipline in areas of my life that I never thought would happen. For me this struggle has been such a huge Everest in my life and it has felt impassable. Now I know I am capable of doing this. I will say I am still not thrilled about fasting, but I do feel an excitement to "discipline my body and bring it into subjection" (1 Corinthians 9:27).
A revelation for me this week was that when my plans for the day/week have to change I tend to let the discipline slide and I put them of for another time when it's more convenient. Examples? Well, Nathan's schedule was different this week and typically I would just put Abiah's schooling off until things "got back to normal" and we would end up behind and I would feel like a failure. We did have to make a few changes to our school schedule this week but we've not gotten behind and I am learning flexibility. Also, I came down with a migrane Saturday that peaked Tuesday and eased off slowly Wednesday. Usually that would be a perfect reason for me to not have to fast. God doesn't want me to suffer that much, right?!? But I wanted to stick it out and work through it. I had to take it slow but I did it. And I didn't die.
The title for this post is from a sermon my mom heard a few weeks ago and shared with me this last Monday night. I realized that, while desire is good, when it is the only thing that we use to guide us we tend to flit from one passion to the next. We may be fully devoted to that one passion for awhile but when a new desire comes along we are easily swept away like a leaf on a blustery fall day. When we have a healthy diet of discipline we have an anchor or guide to keep us focused and to help us achieve our goals.
A dear friend once told me, "If we want to be disciplined in the big areas of our lives we have to start with the little ones." This is where is starts for me. Tell me, what are some disciplines that you have used or are using to help you achieve your goals?
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