Discipline, Diligence & Discernment

Hellooo friends and happy November! Wow. I cannot believe that we are here on the first day of the eleventh month of 2018! Time has really flown by and before I dive in to anything else it is imperative that we take a moment to acknowledge the only one who could ever bring us this far - Jesus. Man, when I look back on how this year started I never thought that I would be in the position that I am in right now. But I am oh so thankful. I always say that I am so undeserving living the life that I live but God's grace truly never runs out and his mercies renew every morning! Can I get an amen!? Drop one in the comments if you're all about that life of giving praises to the one who wakes you up every morning! As we head into the last two months of the year, I want you all (myself included) to make a mental note to not wait until January to renew your mind and adjust your grind. Let's start now. Deal? I'm going to give you my top 3 tips on making the most out of your life and ways to not fall back into the same traps the devil has caught you in before. You ready?

If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with is - how shortsighted to refuse correction! - Proverbs 12:1

1. Discipline -

This is a very important topic and one that I must get better with starting today. There are three different definitions of discipline. One that says discipline is training to act in accordance with rules. The second says discipline is an activity, exercise or a regimen that develops and improves a skill. The last definition says that discipline is punishment inflicted by way of correction and training. The view that I have on discipline encompasses all three of those definitions. Who are you really behind closed doors? What do you do when there's no one watching and no one holding you accountable for your actions? Are you constantly seeking out wisdom and understanding? If no one is calling you at 6am and reminding you to go to the gym, are you going? If you haven't told anyone about your ideas for a business plan or goals that you wanted to accomplish by the end of the year, are you still working just as hard in your own space to achieve them? I'll admit discipline is tough for me. I am home the majority of the day because I have all online classes. My parents rarely are breathing down my neck and asking me if I completed my homework. I have a blog to manage and also desires to maintain a relationship with Jesus, paint, read, sew and exercise daily - but there's no one who is constantly checking in on me to make sure I've done all that I said I'd do that day. Discipline comes from self. It comes from being so tired of your current 9-5 situation that you actually get up and DO something about it. It happens when you realize that you are going to the gym for your physical well being and not to just look good in your bathing suit for the 'gram. Discipline is formed when you can actually visualize where you see yourself in the future and doing everything in your power to work your butt off until you get there. YOU can't have a relationship with God for me. My parents aren't getting my degree for me. My friends don't write my blog or paint my pictures or read to me at the end of the night. There's no one who can work out and eat healthy for me. We were designed by God with free will, so will you freely choose to make the best decisions for your life? It starts with you. So get off Instagram and put the phone down (Kristin) and get to work. Let your convictions hold you accountable. I also advise you to set a strict non-negotiable schedule for your day. It can be a simple three things that you incorporate in your day to day for you to feel like you've gained something. Mine are spending quality time with Jesus daily, substituting one meal for a fruit/veggie smoothie, and a one hour reading minimum. Boom.

Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. - Proverbs 10:4

2. Diligence -

Diligence by definition is the constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken and the persistent exertion of your body or mind. To me, diligence is where we meet God halfway. There are so many things that we long for and desire in this life, but the number one thing we should be working towards is having His will be done and His light shine through us in every aspect of our day to day. My last post was on Good Gifts from the Lord and how we ALL have them. These are the things that should be your main focus. These are the things that lead us to our callings. Jesus tells us that the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy but He comes so that we might have life more abundantly (See John 10:10). Your abundant life is on the other side of your diligence. You desire riches and glory in the Kingdom of God? Working diligently is the answer. Wealth on the earthly level will eventually fade into dust, but diligently find yourself working to build the Kingdom. We shouldn't over-complicate diligence. Serve in your church. Feed those who don't even know where their next meal is coming from. Befriend that child you always see with sadness in their eyes. Whatever you do, do it with all your heart as you would for the Lord and not for man (See Colossians 3:23).

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. - Hosea 14:9

3. Discernment -

If there is one thing I always find myself asking God for, it is discernment. To discern means to perceive by the sight or some other sense or by intellect and to also distinguish mentally and recognize as distinct or different. With wisdom and the fear of God, naturally comes discernment. Remember when I told you that you can't allow the devil to catch you in the same traps you fell into before? You should have learned something the first time. You should have picked up on the silent red flags that the person you were with was not the one that God had ordained for you. There should have been a gut feeling that you were in danger by being some place you should not have been. Now life does happen and some mistakes are unavoidable, but repeated mistakes are a choice. When we mentally make the choice to obey the laws of Christ and learn to understand them, wicked ways will have no appeal to them. You'll begin to gravitate further and further from them and closer to a righteous lifestyle. You will be able to recognize a false witness from someone who is actually living for the Lord. That gut feeling will keep you out of harm's way. Now what if I told you that the gut feeling you have inside of you is the Holy Spirit who leads, guides and reminds us throughout our days? Our discernment comes from a relationship with God and an acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit - and it is such a wonderful gift that you could NEVER have too much of!

So friends, those are the 3 things that I am carrying in my back pocket for the remainder of the year and all the rest of the days of my life. As always, continue to seek Christ and his wisdom. My heart is always open to you. My DMs are always open for prayer request, venting or just some real advice. We aren't in this life alone. We are known as children of God by our love for one another. Also, progression is key! Add these steps into your life gradually and the changes you will begin to see will be amazing! Don't beat yourself up for not being perfect. Only perfect man who walked this earth was Jesus. What we can hold ourselves responsible to do is striving to live more like Him everyday. Until next time.

With all my heart,

Kristin Nicole Robertson