“The Lord’s Discipline”
Consider him who
endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose
heart.
In
your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding
your blood. 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,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he
accepts as his son.”
Endure hardship as
discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not
disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes
discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
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! 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. 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
12:3-11
God is passionately
interested in our positive growth as His children. At times He needs to
confront us with unpleasant circumstances to catch our attention and reorient
our lives to more consistently produce lifelong results.
Don’t resist God’s
corrective hand. Respond to His reproofs with thankfulness that He loves you
enough to care about what kind of a person you are becoming.
God’s
correction is our hope for a better life.
Our Daily Bread –