Seeing Discipline in a Different Way
“Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” Hebrews 12: 10-13
As a kid, I hated getting disciplined (who doesn’t?). There was nothing worse than getting grounded or having to take a time out in my room. But as I’ve grown older and become a parent, I’ve come to find discipline is different than I thought it was when I was ten or sixteen.
As a mom, I love my girls more than anything in the world, and part of my job is to encourage them to live a godly life. I can see farther ahead than they can, and I know that teaching them how to be a good friend or listen and obey God will help them tremendously in the future.
Sometimes in the middle of correcting my oldest, she will look at me and scream “You’re the WORST!” Of course it’s not fun for her to get in trouble for doing something she knows is wrong, but her behavior and unkind words don’t change the way I feel about her. Instead, it’s because of my love for her that I’m willing to stick with her and help her become the best version of who God made her to be.
The same is true for us. While theoretically it sounds better to get to do whatever we want without any consequences, the truth is that God is a Good Father, and His ways and plans for our lives are way better than we understand. Hebrews 12 says that God disciplines us for our good, so we can share in His holiness. Our sin keeps us from God, but He’s not willing to leave us; instead He shows us a better way and teaches us to walk in it.
Discipline is painful. It’s not fun to make and stick to a budget so you learn to wisely spend the money God has blessed you with instead of racking up debt on things that don’t matter. It’s not fun to say no to drinking or gossiping or doing whatever the kids at school are doing. But Hebrews promises us that saying yes to God’s discipline will later “yield a harvest of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
So what are we to do? Hebrews tells us to “Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed,” meaning we should let ourselves be disciplined by God and receive it as a gift.
Are there places in your life right now that you are frustrated about because you feel like you’re missing out or suffering by following God? Turn and see that these things are really gifts because God is teaching you, His beloved child, how to become more like Him. He doesn’t leave us to figure it out for ourselves, but instead teaches us to do what’s right as we walk in step with Him.