Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Retreating from discipline


Over the next month I will be experiencing 2 retreats: An organization one and a personal one. Why? Well my organization leaders decided that it's important for us all to go on a retreat. Isn't that why we do things? Someone else decides what is a good idea spiritually? Oh and my personal retreat? I'm doing that because a guy wrote about how important that is for spiritual growth. Again, I'm following. I've often looked at leaders like that plan these things and longed to be like them, with all their depth and wisdom.

I've realised that the core difference between many of the spiritual leaders that I look up to and myself, is discipline. In my case, the lack of discipline. I've realised I am so much a product of my generation. A product of the information age. The technology age. The age of instant gratification. I long to achieve certain spiritual progress, but I'm unwilling to exercise the discipline to get me there.

How do you develop discipline? Well as an adult I'm now wishing I'd worked harder at discipline when I was a child. It's much easier to develop these character traits as a child that as an adult. The cartoon above is funny, but actually maybe it's a good start. Start small and work at one small thing until it becomes habitual. Then grow that habit by extending the time, pushing the limits, until the discipline becomes second nature. It's harder than it sounds!

I hope that on these 2 enforced retreats I'll be able, in some small way, to start developing good discipline in my life.