When I was young my parents supplied me with something critical for my growth into an adult: discipline. In disciplining me, my parents helped me develop the mental focus to learn and patient endurance to let the reward for my efforts come later.  But that was a discipline often unwelcome and usually unwillingly imposed upon me.  That’s not to imply that learning to read or clean the kitchen was an unnecessary or cruel experience.  It was kindly and patiently applied if sometimes peppered with moments of parental frustration.

An interesting paradox about discipline; I learned to play the piano. (Just well enough to cover the church hymns and have a little fun, my performance never reached concert level.)   After all the complaining my parents had to endure; now I’m playing the piano just for fun of it. It was discipline which freed me to provide service and enjoyment to others and to myself. In the discipline of cleaning a room one gains both freedom for use and the pleasant atmosphere of order and cleanliness. The paradox of discipline is that by applying some present restriction, one achieves greater freedom later. 

Just look at any athlete and we can see how discipline has provided abilities and a freedom. There’s a lot to say for mental discipline.  On my mission I had to learn a language and memorize word for word the lessons we taught prospective members.  Afterwards at school in Spanish class I had to pass off some practice discussions in a language new to me.  Sometimes I forgot to memorize it before class.  When my study partner mentioned it to me at the start of class, I said to her, “Oh my Gosh I forgot! Don’t talk to me so I can get it done.” 
She laughed and thought I was a goner.  She said she had spent two hours memorizing it and wasn’t sure she had it yet. I ignored her and focused my attention on the script. By the time class started (about 5-10 minutes) I was ready and passed it off better than her.  She used to stare at me as if I was some kind of genus.  But the truth is that my mind had developed the ability to quickly memorize on my mission.

I have been trying something new.  I have been trying to meditate.  I sit in a comfortable chair in a quiet place and try to quiet my mind.  My thoughts seem to dart around and investigate every possible avenue.  My mind is a lot like my dog. I have to keep her out of the house because she runs everywhere getting into everything she can.  If she would just settle down and lie still I would let her in a lot more.  My mind is the same way.  There is so much to think about. I try to focus on the love of God and try to invite His love into my heart.  But my mind keeps wandering off in other directions.  I wish I could collar it and put it on a leash so I could control it better.

But with practice I am sure I will get better.  Why would I want to do this mind stilling exercise?  Because I have had baby visions.  These happen just as I am waking up.  My mind has lost the fog of sleep but not taken on the days concerns.  With only my mind I see something clearly. Sometimes in this state, with my mind’s eye, I see better than with my real eyes.  Others have spoken of this state. Tesla, Ramakrishna, Joseph Smith and others have described it.  Because of great mental discipline they learned early in life, they could enter this mental state anytime they wanted.  It’s a great way to approach God and to learn his will.  It’s a way of solving problems needing great clarity. 

Perhaps it would be good to add that I don’t think that Jesus was always exercising self-discipline.  Much of what came from Him was simply an expression freely given love.  But just as I developed the discipline of playing the piano first and came to appreciate it later; in the same way one can eliminate tempting, but unworthy thoughts through discipline now, and come to love and enjoy the spiritual purity brought by the discipline later. 

There’s another form of discipline which most refuse.  Discipleship in Christ.  This is where one actually does what Jesus taught.  Example: “Pray for your enemies.  Do good to them who despitefully use you.”  No it’s not there because Jesus was a loving man.  It’s there to solve our problems.  It’s there to help us find peace. It’s there to help us join our hearts with God’s. There was a time when I would have rather eaten dirt than pray for my ex-wife. But I did it because that is what the truly obedient do.  When I reached the point where I was sincere about it, I found myself wishing her well as a loving friend.

My son is going through some very hard times because of his step-father.  He is filled with a lot of anger and frustration. It’s costing him sleep and friends.  I have been in the same pain, but I knew he wouldn’t listen to my advise, so I didn’t say much.  I know some are not ready to do as Jesus suggested.  But for those who have the will and the discipline, just take a look at Christ’s word and actually do them.  The results are nothing short of miraculous.