Discipline Does NOT Equal Freedom... But Integrity Does

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Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Opening Prayer
Lord, thank You for the gift of discipline—but even more so, thank You for integrity. Thank You for giving us the ability to choose what is right when no one is watching. Help me stay rooted in You—not my routines, habits, or reputation. May my desire be to please You, not people. May I live a life that reflects Your truth, not just one that looks good from the outside. Teach me to walk in integrity. In Jesus' name, amen.

Discipline is Good—But It’s Not the Goal
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Discipline equals freedom” from Jocko Willink. And I respect that man a lot. Discipline is powerful. It keeps you accountable when motivation fades. It helps you show up for your calling even when you don’t feel like it.

But here's what I've come to realize lately...

Discipline isn't the end goal. In fact, discipline without integrity can become robotic. Empty. Even idolatrous.

You can train hard, eat clean, wake up at 5AM, read 10 pages a day—and still feel like something’s off.

Why?

Because if discipline becomes the idol… if your routines become your identity… if your streaks matter more than your obedience to God… then you're missing the point.

From Robotic to Righteous
Every Monday night, I meet with a group of guys to go through Disciplines of a Godly Man—and this week’s chapter was on Integrity.

And man, it hit hard.

Integrity, at its core, is doing what you say you’re going to do. Living the same way in the light and in the dark. Following through, even when it’s inconvenient.

I’ve realized I often struggle with this.

Growing up with divorced parents (who I love deeply and have great relationships with today), I always felt caught in the middle. I was the oldest. I wanted to make both parents proud. But in doing so, I became a people pleaser—afraid of disappointing anyone, avoiding conflict, even when my conscience told me otherwise.

But Scripture says,
“…their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them…” – Romans 2:15

When you’re a believer, the Holy Spirit gives you convictions to guide you in living a life pleasing to Christ, and I’ve ignored it too many times.

Integrity: What God Really Cares About
I remember sitting on a plane a few months ago, reading James 5:12:
“Let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no,’ no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”

That verse wrecked me.

At that point in my life, I was saying “yes” to too much—and following through on too little.

I was letting people down.

I was letting myself down.

My training and nutrition were inconsistent. My work lacked excellence. My spiritual life felt dry. And it was because I had lost integrity—not just discipline.

God doesn’t need our perfect routines. He wants our whole hearts.
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” – Proverbs 11:3

Integrity guides. It’s not just what others see—it’s who we are when no one’s watching.

Living a Life of Integrity > Chasing a Life of Discipline
As Christians, we already have a target on our backs. The world is watching. But more importantly—God is watching.

And He doesn’t care if you hit all your macros and get 8 hours of sleep every night if your heart is far from Him.

True freedom doesn’t come from discipline—it comes from integrity.

Because when you live with integrity, you’re free from guilt. Free from shame. Free from the anxiety of trying to be everything to everyone.

Discipline helps shape you.
But integrity sets you free.

So train hard. Wake up early. Eat clean. But let those be expressions of a life rooted in truth—not idols you bow to.

“Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” – Proverbs 28:6

Closing Prayer
Lord, help me be a man of integrity. I don’t just want to look like I have it all together—I want to actually live a life that honors You. Convict me when I stray from Your path. Strengthen my character in secret so that my public life reflects Your goodness. Help me walk in the freedom that comes from truth, not performance. And let my life be one of quiet obedience—not loud perfection.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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