Divine Discipline

“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Hebrews 12:11

There are two types of discipline: training and correction. In order to become responsible adults, children need to learn both types of discipline. According to my mother, I was a child who needed much correction and training. I received more discipline by the time I was five years old than all four of my brothers combined. I guess you could say I was a strong-willed child. I like to think of myself as more of a maverick, a non-conformist. 

While the Bible instructs us not to conform to the patterns of this world (Rom.12:2), it also says that we are to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). To be conformed to the image of Christ is going to require both training and correction. 

Hebrews 12 intermingles training and correction when it talks about the discipline it takes for a runner to win a race. A runner perseveres through pain as he keeps his eyes on the prize. Hebrews encourages us to run the race marked out for us with perseverance. We do this by fixing our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith.   

Hebrews also talks about the discipline, or correction, of a loving father. We have the privilege of being corrected by God because He has accepted us as His own children. Can you stop and wrap your head around that for a minute? The reason I am being corrected by God is that He sees me as His own child. 

I recently felt the correction of the Lord for failing to trust Him with an area of my life that is usually easy for me to trust Him with. I have to agree that no discipline is enjoyable while it is happening, but as the writer of Hebrews points out, afterward there is a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful that God loves me enough to discipline me.