LORD, Thank You for Disciplining Us
The last blog I wrote was two months ago…
And to be completely honest, I hesitate to even write this blog because there has been a lot of apathy, anxiety, and anger between then and now.
A lot of feeling like my flesh keeps winning.
A lot of burdens for people that feel really heavy.
A lot of frustration at my raging hormones.
So I hesitate to write this… because, well, the righteousness I’m striving for feels so out of reach.
My prayer for the past several months has been, “LORD, make me more holy.”
And what I have quickly realized is that becoming holy is hard.
I think of verses like Matthew 16:24 where Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow Him. That’s hard. Or Hebrews 12:8 where Paul tells us that the Lord disciplines those He loves. Ugh, but getting disciplined is hard!
But then I’m reminded of the verse that comes a few lines back in Hebrews 12:
“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My sons, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’”
Yeah, I’m being disciplined right now. But I shouldn’t be wearied by it! Rather, I should be giving thanks! The LORD God—the Creator of this breathtaking universe—is disciplining me.
Why?
Because He loves me.
He is a Father who loves us. What a gift.
When I feel weary and fainthearted, I must remember that in my struggle against sin, I haven’t shed any blood because of it. Jesus did that for me… “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:3).
One last thing before I go (baby boy just woke up from his nap)…
Paul tells us, “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” (Hebrews 12:11).
He’s acknowledging that discipline is, in fact, painful. It’s not pleasant or satisfying in the moment.
But it turns into something pleasant in the long run—into the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Let us cling to that when it feels painful.
A prayer to end with…
Abba Father, make us more holy. Make us more like You with each passing day, but let us not be wearied by it. Instead, let us delight in the sanctification process. Let us cling to the truth that it will yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness one day. Jesus, You tell us in Matthew 11:30 that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Let it feel light today. Let us not be burdened by the things or people of this world. Let us live like we truly believe everything You say in Scripture. We believe, but help us in our unbelief! In Your Mighty Name, Amen.
