12 January 2022 - Purpose in every step

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 (LB) “So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadow-boxing or playing around. 27 Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to. Otherwise I fear that after enlisting others for the race, I myself might be declared unfit and ordered to stand aside.”

Paul understood that at the end of his journey, a heavenly prize awaited him. This prize, this ultimate goal, was the culmination and end result of the faith he professed. But for him to get there, he had to focus on the present. He committed to hard work and self-discipline, ensuring that his faith was reflected in the way he lived.

Paul understood to get to the finish line he had to run straight to the goal, with purpose in every step. This is very well said. To reach our goal there must be purpose in every step we take.

Success is a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day. —Jim Rohn

Discipline is an ongoing process, not a quick fix. The verb is a present imperative, pointing to a process. Discipline involves hard work. This means that discipline doesn’t come naturally! It’s not something some people are just born with. It’s not a spiritual gift. It is hard work.

By definition, discipline means acting against your feelings because you have a goal.

Our greatest challenge is often – getting ourselves to move, getting ourselves to act, getting ourselves to change, getting ourselves to be focused and disciplined. Our biggest barrier is ourselves. To achieve any goal, you have to discipline yourself making sure that every step getting to the finish line is focused.

The Greek word for “discipline” is “gymnadzo”, from which we get “gymnasium”. It came from a word meaning “naked”, because the Greek athletes would strip off their clothing so as not to be hindered from their purpose of winning their event. The point is, if we’re going to train ourselves, there are hindrances we have to strip off. We have to say no to things that hinder us from our purpose. Discipline means keeping your eyes on the goal. Discipline means managing your time in line with your goals.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (ESV) “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Self-control helps us achieve our goals. “For many of us, the problem isn’t dreaming up the goals we want to accomplish; it’s remembering to continue pursuing them in spite of all the other things that need to get done in a day.” – Ana Mcrae

Jeremiah 31:21 (MSG) “Set up signposts to mark your trip home. Get a good map. Study the road conditions.”

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

Philippians 3:13 (NLT) “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,”