Discipline

March 12, 1980, 5:40 AM

Discipline, o son, is a sign of health.  Discipline is the evidence of a capacity to function.  It is not the sole criterion.  There is none.  But it is one of the important ones.

You display discipline in some commendable ways.  And then you fail to manifest it at a critical time.  Is this a rhythm?  In a way, Yes.  But learn a bit more, that the rhythm might be improved.

One obvious discipline is getting up in the still-dark, after less than a full sleep, to have this session with Me.  This illustrates a truth about mature discipline:  there is a value to what you do that motivates you to the disciplined action.  It is possible that you could simply arise at 5:30 every morning, even if were to do nothing of consequence.  This would be raw discipline, often foolishly displayed.  Mature discipline is the capacity to do that which you value.  You benefit from this time of teaching so you arise, not easily and effortlessly, in order that it may occur.  The value is realized, and the discipline seems worthwhile.  This reaffirms and strengthens it.  If the time were not spent in a rewarding way the discipline would seem less important and would erode.  And then your health, as your capacity to adapt, would suffer.

With that positive introduction let Us now talk of a weakness – the discipline of your prayer life.  Do you find it interesting that you do well at this listening discipline and poorly at the offering discipline of prayer?  Particularly since you realize that in your professional life these “abilities” seem reversed – you speak and contribute better than you listen to other’s contributions.  Know, positively, that this discipline shall help to improve your overall listening.  Likewise, your capacity to contribute could improve your discipline in relation to prayer.  Still, reconsider the basic premise:  if you do not receive perceptible benefit from something the discipline to maintain it is difficult.  Yet prayer can be rewarding.  Many of My servants attest to this.  I bring this to your mind and heart for consideration.  A discipline of prayer, in addition to those of a spontaneous nature, will be another part of a healthier rhythm.  I urge you to try it.

This discipline of diet has been a rewarding one.  You have reconstructed a discipline you were losing, and the result was discomforting.  (You made a mistake, which is rare.  Try again.)  Your loss of the discipline and the resulting fatness – these were discomforting.  The reconstruction and loss of weight have been rewarding.  But consider this:  Lenore has displayed more discipline than you for a longer period, without dramatic results.  It was her discipline that got you started.  Think on whether you would persist as she has without much reward.  When results come easily the discipline is more easily maintained.

Discipline is a virtue… an evidence of health.  But the positive opposite – spontaneity – is also of much value.  It is the rhythm and balance of the regular and the disciplined with the spontaneous and the spur-of-the-moment that makes for a healthy life, including the life in the spirit.  Discipline becomes more of a virtue if it is balanced with some of its positive opposites.

I certainly have discipline supreme.  Yet I also act spontaneously, even capriciously.  I, of course, am not limited by time, so My acting spontaneously is not at the expense of discipline.  You have a strong perception of time and therefore may see that choices and decisions must be made – this or that.  Reconsider the rhythm of your professional life, as I admonished you before.  Consider the costs of too much discipline.  Consider the decisions that will require disciplines which will overbalance the time for spontaneity.  For everything there is a season.  I value discipline, but not at the expense of other virtues.  You also should value discipline, but as part of a healthy whole.

The balance on this trip ahead is important.  Discipline will be important… to accomplish some important tasks.  But other values will present themselves, too.  Be aware.  Appreciate.

Enter into the joy of understanding life more fully, even when the understandings are not shared with many others.  Just know that This Source is the well-spring to which you must ever return.

Have a happy day.

Amen

6:50 AM