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

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:5-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/114/heb.12.5-11.nkjv

Discipline can be painful, but is very important, for we are going nowhere good without it.

All good parents discipline their children, and that includes God. In fact, “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13:24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The father who allows his children to do whatever they like is hating his children. But a loving father corrects, trains, and punishes his children to teach them what is right, and that their are consequences for our actions, both good and evil.

A good parent teaches his children to work hard and prosper without using cheating schemes, manipulation, and lies; he teaches them how to stand on their own feet and prepares them for adulthood, and our Father in heaven does just that.

It is never going to be pleasant to be corrected by God, but all His children will be chastised.

The truth is, God’s discipline is for our own good, and is a sign, in fact proof of God’s love-“For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God is preparing us to do His will by the leading of the Spirit and live right and stand strong on our own feet by trusting Him in this dark world.

Furthermore, just like children at school, we shall be tested regularly. James put it like this; “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God’s discipline comes in different ways; it can be the consequence of our actions, life itself brings natural discipline.

Furthermore, He disciplines us through the enemy, for God gives the devil authority to enter certain areas in our lives through sin, and one can become demonised or cursed. But submission to God with repentance, gives us believers authority to cast out demons and break their curses (JAMES 4:7).

Discipline brings repentance, wisdom, and growth.

Furthermore, God allows the devil to test us believers through temptation, circumstance and even sickness.

Just like children at school, we are regularly tested so that God can prepare us for the next level, that our patience and endurance grow into maturity to bring transformation, that we believers become Christ like in our behaviours and responses.

God’s work in our lives starts even before our commitment to Him.

Paul tells us, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

My beloved, God never stops working in our lives; we are as it were, a growing progress.

The more we cooperate with Him, the faster we shall grow into maturity.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

How one responds to discipline is a choice.

We can accept it with resignation; we can accept it with self-pity; we can get angry and be resentful toward God, or we can gratefully accept it and learn from it, which really is the appropriate response, “for afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.