Discipline

SUN., MAY 29, 1988, 6:24 AM
FARM, STUDY

Discipline is one of the necessities in a responsible earth life. It is necessary because there are time requirements here, but mainly because most people have choices about what they shall do, and what is needed to be done may not be as interesting or “as much fun” as something else. Discipline is the capacity and the desire to do what you know should or must be done.

But I shall quickly say also that the task need not be onerous. There just must be something about it that makes it less than spontaneous. It may be a matter of time… you enjoy doing it, but it takes time… and the time should be spent on something else, also important. You, and many like you in your culture, have many responsibilities, some thrust upon you and some for which you have volunteered. Here is where time and space limitations make discipline necessary. There is not sufficient time to do everything and play a little also. You can’t be several places at once doing several important tasks. You must choose, and then accomplish all. This requires discipline.

You are completing a commitment to Me that required discipline. You were reluctant, because of the other responsibilities you had this past week. There was much to do, much of it coming from other responsibilities I have give to you… keep this place beautiful… take time to prepare your classes so that spirit is developed… help those in need… And, of course, you must get some minimum amount of sleep. Nevertheless, here you are, having accomplished what you discerned Me asking for. You can see, surely, that it can be done, without great loss in other responsibilities. And I do have plenty to say, on a variety of topics.

Discipline was necessary, and you showed that you still have it, even as you are losing it in other areas of life. Now you wanted something, too, though wisely you did not offer this as a bargain. You gave what I wanted, and I am not required to do what you wanted. This is good spiritual relationship. You may well find the tool you desire. If so, thank Me profusely. If you don’t find it, just accept the spiritual growth that comes from a disciplined task that has no external reward. You may find that, in the future sometime, one of these Teachings will be valuable to you or to another. This would make the whole week worthwhile.

You have tests to finish for the class just completed. It will take discipline to accomplish this, for that class is over, and another one begins immediately. Your “loyalties” are divided, but this must be done. The other class, and its rather immediate test is the more pertinent challenge now. You see that in some ways I help, and in other ways I make your discipline more necessary.

You anticipate that as you get older discipline will not be as necessary. There is a certain loss, partly because you see certain tasks are just not as necessary as they once seemed, and partly because you are given or you accept fewer responsibilities. As you are experiencing now, in this part of your working career, you are asked to do fewer things, and you are not as aggressive in volunteering as you were when younger. The enjoyment of less need for discipline is evident, but so is the feeling of loss from more involvement. These are the spiritual trade-offs of life.