How do I cultivate personal discipline?

Philippians 3:12-15I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 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, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.

Self-discipline for believers in Jesus begins with a passion for God and is sustained by the power of God. The passion is our clear sense of God’s call for our lives to glorify him in all things. And the power comes from the Holy Spirit at work within us (see Philippians 2:12-13).

1 Corinthians 9:24-27Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

Self-discipline is the link between our goals and achieving those goals. Self-control not only helps us achieve our goals, but also helps us maintain them. Many, many people have been ruined by letting up on discipline once they have achieved their goals.

1 Timothy 4:7-10Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

Self-discipline requires time and effort, hard work and even suffering. But these are like the efforts of farmers who know they will produce a harvest, or of musicians who know that their freedom to make music comes from their effort in practice.