Discipline Versus Desire

Before the school year began, a friend gathered a group of older experienced homeschool moms to her home for a time of encouragement and prayer.  It was a refreshing time of sharing our struggles of juggling family, parenting, and teaching.  We each shared our burdens, wrote them down and committed to pray for one another throughout the school year.

My index card of requests is tucked inside my prayer journal, peaking from the top, to remind me to pray for these precious ladies regularly.  Two months later, as I again prayed for A. to be disciplined to have her quiet time, I was suddenly struck by how wrong that prayer is.  Yes, I said WRONG.  Okay.  Maybe completely misguided.  It's a common request.  Seems like every Bible study group and prayer group I've been in, there has been at least one person who has made it their prayer request.  Likely, I've done it myself.

For most of my adult life, my spiritual community, church leadership and teachers, and the literature I chose to read emphasized discipline as if it's the goal.   Discipline focuses on outward behavior.  It does not transform lives or is it a part of a life giving relationship.  In and of itself, it's powered by strength of will.   It brings glory to self making it stoic and proud, somewhat like a Pharisee.  Eventually, in most cases, its power falters and fails.  I can look at my own life and testify to it.

Rightful discipline is the outcome of the inward position of the heart driven by desire.  Desire is breathed from an intimate relationship.  When desire taps into the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, it's an infinite, refreshing spring!  It has transformational powers.  It brings glory to God because it is not fueled by will but by Him.  By God's grace and mercy, I can look at my own life and testify to it too.

The waters of discipline run shallow which when exposed to any level of drought become stagnate and dry up.  The waters of desire run deep even in drought when its waters originate from Living Water.   I'll still pray A. will be disciplined with her quiet time, but for it to originate from her desire for intimacy with God.