DAY 21 Discipline

BE STILL Spend 2 minutes in stillness and silence with God

SCRIPTURE So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

DEVOTION

Discipline is the glue of stewardship. It keeps surrender and obedience in place. Remember these two questions from Day 19:

· How do I interact with this thing?

· How does God desire for me to interact with this thing?

We learned that the process of surrender involves us exchanging how we interact with something with how God wants us to interact with that thing. Discipline helps us to initiate that process and keep it that way. It helps us resist the temptation to take over and do things how we want.

We talked about obedience in terms of following suit when God adjusts His "terms of use" for how He wants us to interact with His creations. Discipline helps us to pivot as needed. Without the discipline to stay in alignment with His terms of use, we may unintentionally mishandle, misuse, and abuse the very thing God trusted us to be a steward over.

Out of the three components of stewardship, discipline is the only one that is a fruit of the Spirit. Coincidence? Those don't exist! God is so strategic that He planted inside of us the very thing that holds together our ability for proper stewardship. He is so loving that He handed us the instructions, so we don't have to figure out how to take care of a thing. He is so kind that He tells us how to adjust so we don't mishandle what we have been given. Are you in awe or is it just me?

While we walk on this journey of thriving in stewardship via discipline, remember that no one is perfect, and we never will be. Give yourself grace! We never want to fall off the wagon, but I would be lying to you if I said it wouldn't happen. That’s okay. You're doing the best you can and that's okay. Discipline is a journey and that's okay.

Since we are at the end of our devotional, it felt fitting to do some talking to ourselves for old times' sake. Say this aloud as many times as you need: "I will give myself grace." God has given it to us, now let's give it to ourselves.

Do you find it more difficult to use discipline for surrender (exchanging what we want for what God wants) or for obedience (pivoting how we steward when God tells us to adjust)? Why?

What does giving yourself grace look like in your life?

PRAY IT OUT

Abba, I am so grateful that discipline/self-control is a fruit of the Spirit! How awesome is it that the very thing I need to help me become a better steward is already within me! Thank You for Your Holy Spirit - the Spirit of Truth – who guides me and helps me on this Earth. Even though I have it within me, sometimes I struggle to use the glue of discipline to help me steward well. Specifically, I struggle with [your answer to question one].

I am grateful that You always give us a way out of our circumstances! Help me to see every time You give me a way to move with discipline. I choose to submit myself to You and Your plan and flee from any temptations to do things my way when it comes to stewardship. I know that this journey will not be perfect, and I am grateful that You sympathize with my shortcomings! I will come boldly to Your throne of grace during these times and receive Your grace, love, and mercy. I choose to give myself this same grace as well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen