Discipline

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 discipline 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 it 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 HCSB https://bible.com/bible/72/heb.12.7-13.HCSB

There is a word hidden is discipline: disciple. We are becoming disciples of Christ. When the 12 apostles became disciples they went through a training process, it did not last only for the time Christ was with them, but rather a lifetime. In the book of Acts, we see firsthand, the struggles of Paul who was late on the scene disciple.

When we encounter difficulties we can be trained by them and the Holy Spirit to behave well and be a blessing in our trials. The alternative is bitterness and that sucker is ugly.

Hardship is a part of life. Use it for your good, not your destruction. Amen!