The other day, my little daughter looked at me and asked, “Daddy, how do you manage to wake up early before all of us?” I’m not sure what made her ask, but I knew she had noticed a pattern. I told her plainly, and it gave her both clarity and motivation: “It’s discipline. I feel sleepy, too. But I choose to discipline myself.”
Friend, how disciplined are you? There is the discipline of a disciple (1 Corinthians 9:27). High achievers are not superhuman. They are just ordinary people with extraordinary discipline and commitment. The gap between you and the person you admire is often time and discipline (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Your discipline today becomes your distinction tomorrow. If you want to stand out in your generation, you must choose to be different (Daniel 1:8, 6:3). That means doing things differently. Using your time differently. Building practices that are different. Moving from what is convenient to what is required (1 Corinthians 6:12, 10:23).
We are not just called to be Christians; we are called to be disciples (Luke 14:27). Sadly, we have many Christians but very few disciples. It takes discipline to be a disciple. That’s why we are called soldiers, not civilians (2 Timothy 2:3). Soldiers don’t live by convenience. They live by command. They are people under authority.
If you live anyhow, you will end up as just anything. To become something significant, you must build the right daily routines and stick to them (Mark 1:35). You must be disciplined. At first, a life-changing habit will feel like duty. With time, it becomes a delight as you apply discipline. It is commitment before enjoyment.
How long do you sleep? If you cannot manage your sleep, there’s no guarantee you will achieve anything tangible with your life. Some people have slept away their destiny (1 Kings 3:16-22). Some have ruined their business or seen their ministry die because of excess sleep. Go to the ant and learn wisdom (Proverbs 6:6-11). Amen.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria