The Importance Of Discipline

1 Timothy 4:7 ESV

… train yourself for godliness.

The Means To Godliness

God wants us to grow to be more like Jesus, and He gives us special ways to help us do that. These ways are called Spiritual Disciplines. They are good habits that help us get closer to God, like reading the Bible, praying, worshiping, sharing Jesus with others, serving, and more.

Just like athletes have to practice to get stronger and better at their sport, Christians need to "train" their hearts to love and follow God. That’s what 1 Timothy 4:7 means when it says, “Train yourself to be godly.”

There are lots of ways God helps us grow:

Through people, like our friends, family, and even people who are hard to get along with.

Through hard times, like being sick, having a bad day, or going through problems.

And through the Spiritual Disciplines, which we can choose to do every day.

When we do these disciplines, it’s like stepping into God’s “path” so He can work in our hearts and change us. It’s not about trying to be perfect or earning God’s love—He already loves us. But…

The more we seek Him, the more we grow.

Think of it like this:

Bartimaeus, a blind man, shouted out to Jesus and got His attention.

Zacchaeus climbed a tree just to see Jesus.

Both of them put themselves in a place to meet Jesus. That’s what Spiritual Disciplines help us do—they help us get close to Jesus so He can change us.

So when we pray, read the Bible, or worship, we’re making time to be with God. And the more time we spend with Him, the more we become like Him.

The Lord Expects Them

The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 4:7 to “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” That means God commands us to practice spiritual habits to grow more like Him.

It’s not just a nice idea—it’s something He expects from all who follow Jesus.

In Proverbs 23:12, it says, “Apply your heart to discipline.” That means we should stick to these habits, just like putting a sticker on your notebook that doesn’t come off. These habits—like praying, reading the Bible, and worshiping—help us grow in our faith.

Jesus Himself showed us how to live a disciplined life. He prayed, fasted, studied Scripture, served others, and obeyed God. If we want to be like Jesus, we need to live the way He lived.

Being a follower of Jesus takes effort.

In Luke 9:23, Jesus said we must deny ourselves, take up our cross every day, and follow Him. That means putting God first—even when it’s hard.

Some people work really hard at sports, school, or music. They practice every day because they want to get better. But sometimes, those same people give up quickly when it comes to growing spiritually—just because it’s not easy right away.

But becoming like Jesus is worth it! Godliness is like gold. You can’t just pick it up off the ground. You have to dig deep. And the tools you use to dig are the Spiritual Disciplines. They take work, but they help you grow strong in your faith and close to God.

Why Spiritual Disciplines Matter So Much

If we stop practicing Spiritual Disciplines, like prayer and reading the Bible, we start to grow weak in our faith. It’s kind of like someone who’s really smart or talented but never practices—like a person who dreams about writing a great book but never sits down to write it.

Even if God has given us special gifts, we still have to work at growing, or we won’t do much for Him.

But here’s the good news: the more we practice these disciplines, the more freedom we gain. That might sound strange, but it’s true! Think of someone who plays guitar really well. It looks easy, but that freedom to play beautifully came from years of practice. The same thing happens when we follow Jesus faithfully—we become free to live like Him!

A wise man once said, “We are most free when we are bound.” That means when we choose to follow God’s ways and train ourselves, we actually become more free to do what’s right and live with joy.

Freedom doesn’t come from doing whatever we want—it comes from doing what God wants, with love.

Another teacher said that freedom is the reward for discipline. That means, when we stick with the Spiritual Disciplines, even when it’s hard or boring, God blesses us with the joy and strength we need.

This kind of freedom—freedom to love others, to hear God clearly, to follow Jesus boldly—doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and practice. Like learning a sport or instrument, you grow stronger little by little.

Remember: discipline without a goal is just hard work.

But the Spiritual Disciplines aren’t just chores—they’re the path to a joyful, close life with God. Jesus Himself lived a disciplined life, but He was never boring or dull. He was full of life and joy! If we follow His example, we’ll find joy too.