Discipline has POSITIVE Effects

A recent article in The Detroit News discussed how discipline helps you lose weight.
From the article, "When we discipline ourselves, we control our actions to produce a desired outcome. Yet as easy as being disciplined sounds, it's difficult to put into practice."

Key sentence!!! While this article is specifically talking about weight loss, the point of that sentence applies to all areas of our lives- including prayer, sexuality, birth control, our children, etc. What a concept. Train yourself to live and act for a certain result.

The next sentence follows, "It's difficult to practice because as M. Scott Peck explains in, "The Road Less Traveled," it requires us to "delay gratification, accept responsibility, and be dedicated to the truth ...".
What is the hardest part for most people? That whole delaying gratification thing. Society today is filled with people who have come to believe that they deserve everything and anything, immediately.

In more than one way, this is what we do for ourselves as Christians, and also as parents.
As Christians, (hopefully) we have learned that denial of self now, discipline, will lead to greater gratification eternally.

Like saving sex for marriage. Deny yourself the physical momentary pleasure, and enjoy the benefits of a Godly, trusting marriage where sex is so much more than physical pleasure. It becomes an emotional, spiritual act.

And of course, in terms of parenting, discipline leads to many examples.
I don't discipline my son because I like being mean, or I want to hurt him.
It is the opposite. I discipline him because I love him, and I want him to be safe and free from as much danger as possible. It does not have to entail spanking, but discipline is important. It is NOT a bad thing.

I just saw this article as a particularly good reminder that got me thinking.