November 14: Thoughts on Hebrews 12:7-11

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 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 our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, 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 12:7-11

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

As Christians, we've been given the power to become sons and daughters of God (John 1:12). God is our Heavenly Father, and as such, He deals with us as His children. Earthly fathers love and provide for their children. They also discipline their children and teach them. The same is true with our Heavenly Father. Though He loves us and provides for our needs, He also disciplines us to make us stronger in the faith and in righteousness.

If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

What is an illegitimate child? It is a child without a father. So if we aren't being disciplined (enduring hardship) for God, we need to consider whether or not we're actually children of the Heavenly Father (i.e. whether we are actually Christians). The Bible doesn't tell us that when we come to Jesus, all will be well and our lives are perfect from then on out. On the contrary, we're told that once we become Christians, we will go through two types of hardship attacks of the Enemy and discipline from God.

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 our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

While we might not have seen it at the time, I think we've all come to a place as young adults where we understand that our earthly parents disciplined us because they loved us, and that their discipline has helped shape us into the people we are today. Just as we've come to understand our parents a little better, after we get through the times of trial in our lives, we tend to be able to look back and see what God was doing with us better than we do when we're in the middle of it. It's hard to recognize that sometimes the Lord is the author of our hardship, but we have to accept that as the Creator of all, He knows better than we do.

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.

Right now, what you're going through might seem very painful. It might seem that life is not fair, and you might be tempted to ask God why He is allowing things to happen to you. But try not to. Know that God is righteous, and He is just, and He is good. Know that because He wants you to share in His holiness, you will be tried and face hardship, but the good news is that you'll come out of your trials with a harvest of righteousness and peace.

When you're facing hardship, instead of grumbling at God for the bad things in your life, rejoice instead that God loves you enough to deal with you as His son or daughter!