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Obedience Over Talent

Talent may open doors, but discipline walks you through them. When we choose obedience over comfort, God multiplies our faithfulness for eternal impact.

We live in a world obsessed with talent. Natural ability. Being “gifted.”

But the Kingdom of God isn’t built by the most talented, but by the most faithful.

The parable of the talents wasn’t about who had the most. It was about who was the most faithful with what they were given. (Matthew 25)

Faithfulness is the bridge between God’s promise and your progress.

And, oftentimes, faithfulness looks a lot like discipline.

If you’re waiting for motivation to magically show up before you move, that’s not faith but procrastination in disguise.

Faith without works is dead. Discipline is the “work” that activates your faith.

Steven Bartlett laid it out. Discipline is a formula:

Discipline = (Importance of the Goal) + (Enjoyment in the Pursuit) – (Friction of the Process)

As a believer, the importance of your goal isn’t just success—it’s obedience. It’s walking out your calling, day by day.

The enjoyment isn’t always in the task but in knowing you’re doing the will of God.

And the friction is your flesh, laziness, distractions, and spiritual warfare.

Want to be a better husband, father, leader?

Stack the equation in your favor.

Strengthen your “why,” find joy in the grind, and eliminate distractions that distract you from your mission.

Discipline is doing today what builds the person God called you to be tomorrow.

Jesus didn’t wing His ministry. He rose early to pray. He spent time alone with the Father. He lived with intention.

And if the Son of God needed rhythm and structure to fulfill His purpose,

It’s not about being legalistic. It’s about being intentional and engineering discipline into your life.

Set up your environment.
Get your Bible in plain sight.
Turn your phone off during family dinner.

Build holy habits that serve your soul.

You don’t just manage time—you steward God’s gift.

Forget fancy time hacks. If you don’t have discipline, no calendar will save you. Every day, you place your chips on your family, your health, your calling… or distractions, comfort, and regret.

Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Every morning, you wake up with 24 hours. That’s your stewardship. Your worship. Your assignment.

Don’t waste it chasing temporary comfort. Invest it in eternal impact.

Talent Is a Gift. Faithfulness Is a Choice.

Faithfulness is about showing up, again and again, not because it’s easy but because you’re committed to the call.

You don’t need to be the smartest in the room—just the one who won’t quit. Because God doesn’t bless potential. He blesses persistence.

So pray hard. Plan well. Show up daily.

And trust that when you move in discipline, God moves in power.

And, one day, we’ll look our Savior in the eyes and hear those longed-for words:

"Well done, my good and faithful servant…" (Matthew 25:21)

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