Endure Suffering

Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline- which all receive-then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Furthermore, we had natural fathers disciplining us, and we respected them. Shouldn't we submit even more to the Father of Spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does if for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness. No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead. Hebrews 12:7-13

I remembered being disciplined by an earthly father who did not communicate the 'why' I was being beaten. I remember one particular instance when I had returned home in the noting before school. From my grandmother's house, where I had spent the night, to be marched into the bedroom, my skirt lifted and the strap applied and then being left wondering: 'what was that all about?'

After conferring with my siblings, who had all experienced the same, I discovered we were in trouble for destroying something we had found on a rubbish heap at the back of a commercial garage next door. Apparently it was not rubbish but an attempt to make a television areal, we thought it would make a good chicken's coop and proceeded to dismantle it. Our father was grievously distressed at our behaviour as being a good citizen was important to him. I can imagine he was so angry he could not spit, let alone speak.

I do not ever remember my father communicatin the why or that it was done in love. I always saw anger. When I became a mother I made sure to communicate the why, but I still disciplined.

Our Heavenly Father disciplines us and we often don't know the immediate why but in the scripture above we are told: so that we can share His holiness. Now I would not consider my earthy father as being holy but he wanted good citizens, his interpretation is an earthly close.

I spent far too many years with a bad attitude to my father because I did not understand the 'why.' I cannot afford to isolate myself from my Heavenly Father  with a bad attitude all because I do not understand the 'why.' I have to have a paradigm shift and realise I must walk in faith and trust Him for the big picture.

I remember at 16 thinking it was 'cool' to steal two drinking glasses from a restaurant when I had been away on a school excursion. My fater's displeasure showed me otherwise. I have never stolen since.

We learn by the tough times. We are made holy by the tough times, if we respond in faith, strengthen the tired limbs and make straight the path, so that those areas that are 'dislocated' and difunctional will heal. Amen!