Discipline 101

Hebrews 12:5-11

Trained by discipline, now that is a thought worth pondering.  Verse 11 states the following; “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  When I think of discipline my mind goes to giving up or restricting myself from something that I enjoy, but is almost certainly not in my best interest.  If you are even a casual observer of my actions and life style you have no doubt that I would pass up a steak for a pie any day of the week.  For years I was branded, as the dessert man, and I’ve never had a problem with my weight until the last few years and that was more in my waistline.  I would go to the gym and work hard on my abs, but the waistline did not change.  So the dessert man followed his daughter’s lead and cut out sugar, no more dessert till my goal is reached.  Side note on sugar, it’s a lot like sin in that many of the things we eat turn to sugar; things like pastas, breads, and just about all diet products.  I’ve also found it help to cut your portions in half.

Now that kind of discipline is under my control, it was my choice, it was my desire, and the results was very good, I feel better, and once more I can wear my size 33 pants.  But this Scripture is talking about your Creator God, your heavenly Father disciplining you in love, and yet it does not feel very loving at the time of the discipline.  Yes, it seems painful, but it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  God’s desire is that we share in His holiness!  Now look at this warning in verse 15, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”  Who is this root of bitterness addressed at, is it not at God?  When God begins to remove the idols in our life, and they come in many forms, golf, exercise, sex, fishing, hunting, shopping, children, career, husband or wife, self, and that is only the short list, without God’s grace we will become bitter. 

It is of the utmost importance to trust your heavenly Father, to understand that He is doing an act of love, that it is not going to be fun, but that the end goal is fellowship with God, it is obtaining the grace of God so that the training brings about the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Form the Back Porch,

Bob Rice