Painful discipline. I know that I often limit the application of discipline to times when I have been disobedient. At those times I expect God to step into my life and offer a strong and painful rebuke. But that is only half of the story. I remember teaching my niece how to use a hand saw. Because she didn’t hold the handle tight enough she developed a blister on her hand. It was painful but not the result of disobedience. It was the natural result of learning, growing, expanding her abilities. That is the other side of painful discipline. That is what the Hebrew writer addresses in 12:11. The result of accepting, even welcoming, painful discipline is a life displaying the righteousness of Jesus. Why does it have to be painful? I think that I remember pain better than I remember ease. I can recall much of the events of 36 hours that I endured a nerve pinch in my neck. I got very little sleep, attended over 8 hours of meetings, and an plane flight from Boston through Philadelphia before landing in Indianapolis. God taught me that he is able to keep my mind on task even when the limitations of this physical body are most noticeable. I can remember many painful moments in my life, and out of each of those I have learned valuable lessons; most of which are focused on self-discipline. It’s like God planned these lessons especially for me.
It took me about 15 minutes to read this passage.
Stuart
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