Painful Production -- July 15, 2009

"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 12:11 NIV

Previous concepts shared in this chapter tell us that God disciplines those He loves so even the hard things that God asks of us is in love – that is in our best interest. Here the writer pragmatically addresses the discomfort of discipline. During discipline we are at least uncomfortable if not in outright pain. For many, discipline is limited to correction or consequences of misbehavior, but it is really a much broader concept. Discipline includes training, conditioning and practice as well as consequences for our wrong behavior.

As an athlete and a coach I have experienced both sides of discipline. As a young teen I wondered why the coaches didn’t like us and why they were mean. I only put up with much of what they did because I loved to compete in football and wrestling so much. I did anything they required so I would be eligible to play. As a coach I worked hard to let the players know it was for their benefit we were going through a drill or conditioning extra. One year I had only 14 players on my football team and at least once a week we did the most grueling conditioning I could think of. I would tell them over and over again during the actual conditioning how proud I was of them and that it wasn’t punishment but preparation for their game. Most of them finally got it. They ran the drills without complaint. Sometimes I would catch one of them smiling because he knew he was getting better.

Now I know that when the Lord is training me it is for my good. Even hard things are brought to me for my benefit. I know it is because of His love He has placed me in my present circumstances. I know that He will correct me and get me back in line when I am out. I know that He is training me to face the giants of life while I am watching the sheep, like David the shepherd boy. I can even smile sometimes in the discomfort because I know He is making me better.

In His Peace,

Pastor Jason