Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Emma
Are you wanting more self discipline in your life? Do you want to pray about self-discipline?
You can make use of these six solid prayers for self-discipline to help you in your spiritual journey. They are written for common concerns that arise when we deal with self-discipline. You can pray these prayers as they are written, or you can modify them as needed to fit your particular circumstances.
Enacting discipline is rarely easy, as it involves control of ourselves, and perhaps following rules or guidelines to achieve a goal, or meet a requirement. Which is why it’s even more important to pray about it. We should want to bring this desire to God in prayer, and receive God’s guidance and help to move forward.
There is good news in this, that God has given us self-discipline, the ability to do what we need to do!
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1.7, NIV).
Isn’t is comforting to know that you are not on your own in this pursuit? God is with you and has empowered you with what you need to practice control in your life and grow and mature as a follower of Jesus Christ. Discipline leads to a better life. Discipline gives us greater perspective so that we don’t bogged down and stop growing into Christ’s likeness.
“Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray” (Proverbs 10.17, NIV).
The wisdom writers of Proverbs do not hold back in their exhortation for us to pursue discipline and embrace it. The following two verses use direct language to underscore the importance of the exhortation.
“Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,
but whoever hates correction is stupid” (Proverbs 12.1, NIV).
And then also:
“A wise son heeds his father’s instruction,
but a mocker does not respond to rebukes”(Proverbs 13.1, NIV).
We don’t need to flinch at this type of straightforward teaching. It is a reminder of how important self-discipline and pursuing the will of God is for our lives. As you pray these prayers open your heart to the Holy Spirit to receive direction and power. Pray these prayers with confidence that God hears you and wants this for you.
Short Prayer For Self-Discipline
Dear God, I believe that you have given me power, and love and self-control I want to use all of these wonderful gifts you have given me to grow into the best version of myself. I want to practice good self-discipline to become more like Jesus. I pray this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Prayer for Self-Discipline With Exercise
Dear Lord, I am praying to you to ask for help with having more discipline with my exercise. I do it off and on, but I want to have more self-discipline so I can improve my health. My doctor has told me that this will help live longer, so I’m for that.
I’m having trouble with the self part of self-discipline. I want to, and know I need to, but I can’t seem to get consistent in exercising. It sounds weird to pray for self-discipline when it’s me that has to do it, but here I am praying for it. I believe you can work within me to enable me to do this. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Self-Discipline With Food
Lord God, I need your help. I am having a problem with what I eat. And what I eat is affecting my health in not good ways. I’ve got to find a solution to this before it becomes too overwhelming. Lord, I don’t want to go on a diet, I want to find out the reasons why I eat the way I eat. There’s got to be more going on than I just want to eat.
I need your guidance to people who can help me, so I can use the self-discipline that is within me to do this. I need your Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth with this whole situation. I’m praying to you because I don’t know what else to do. Please help me Lord. In the name of Jesus, My Helper, I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Self-Discipline With Work
Lord God I ask you to empower me with self-discipline as I do my work. I have picked up some bad habits because of the past two years of bad circumstances. I want to be more disciplined in my work habits and the work that I produce.
I ask for your strength as I start small and grow in my work. I want to be a good example to my co-workers and do much better than I have been. I know this is a positive step in my spiritual journey and I am praying to you as the first step in growing as a follower of Jesus Christ. I pray all of this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayer For Self-Discipline With a New Habit
Dear Jesus, I just started a new habit, a good habit and I want to continue with it day by day. I want to grow in this habit because I believe it will help me have a better life and be a better witness for you.
I know I need your strength every day so I open myself up to your Holy Spirit this day and every day. May use the self control you have placed inside me and call upon it throughout the day. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
Prayer For Self-Discipline To Conquer a Bad Habit
God, I want for more self-discipline. I have a bad habit that I don’t want to have anymore. I don’t want to do what I do on a regular basis. I am filled with shame even as I pray to you about it. I have tried and tried to stop but I need your power within me to conquer this habit.
I believe you don’t want me to engage in this habit anymore because it doesn’t reflect my heart for you and my desire to be the love and grace of Christ. Help me Lord, I need your help to do this. I pray this and I ask this through Jesus Christ, Amen.
Final Thoughts
We have enough experience in life to know that we are not perfect. We know that we fail, even if our desire is to do good. We want to be more in control of our lives and practice excellent self-discipline.
Yet, we also realize that that is not always the case and sometimes it can be very difficult to finish strong. So, we long for self-discipline to be better people, better Christians, better people of God. It doesn’t matter if that’s discipline in the gym or the self-control it takes to support a family member through a tough time. In the end, self-control, along with prayers, is key to breaking bad habits. When we have fewer bad habits, we usually have a better life.
Sometimes, it is God who uses loving discipline with us to correct us and help us along the right path.
“And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12.5-11, NIV).
As we embrace what God shows us, we grow in righteousness, which is another way to say, right living. Right living isn’t about being perfect, or being better than someone else. It’s allowing God to work in us to make use like who God created us to be.
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Corinthians 9.24-27, NIV).
So, as you pray for more self-discipline in your life, you are really praying for God to be more evident in the daily actions of your life. Let your prayers become reality and may your grow in Christlikeness in the coming days and weeks.