Two-minute read.
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:11
Regular chastisement leads to a harvest of righteousness and peace. Every day, the Lord corrects me in some way, shape, or form. Most days, His lessons come in the way of nudges from the Holy Spirit, a word spoken in haste, an action that didn’t communicate love or an errant thought that needed addressing. At other times, the correction hurts more and causes me to wrestle with the Lord as I strive to find His will.
When the tenth anniversary of my nephew’s death occurred, I struggled. The gravity of the loss swept over me, and I did not feel like loving anyone. With a short fuse and little patience, kindness took work. By Wednesday of that week, my humanity reared its ugly head, and I did something I regret, and the Lord chastised me. At that moment, I did not feel joy; I felt sorrow. But as I worked through the situation, seeking restoration, I found God’s peace again. Doing the right thing, putting God first, and living for His approval transformed me as I learned the lesson and restored the relationship.
Sharing my faith publicly holds me to a higher level of accountability and helps me mature in my beliefs as I follow the Lord. I can only fulfill my divine mission by honoring God and serving Him with discipline and correction.
No matter when we turn to the Lord, He loves us in our sins. But He doesn’t let us stay there. As we give our lives to God and follow Jesus, He begins to discipline us, molding us into new creations. The correction doesn’t feel joyful at the moment, but as we learn the lessons the Lord has for us, we will discover a harvest of righteousness and peace.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving us enough to correct us, help us mature, and prevent us from staying stuck in our sinful ways. Please give us eyes to see and ears to hear Your disciplines, training us to become more like Christ as we submit our lives to You.
IJNIP. Amen
