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God's discipline

Hebrews 12:5-11
And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

God discipline those He loves.. What does this say about Him? What does His discipline look like? How do I not lose hope when He is disciplining me?

 My head gets this, my heart is still learning.

I know I must first understand that God loves me with the greatest love I can possibly imagine.. so much that He didn't spare His own son so He could die for my sins. He loves me.. forgives me, crowns me with love and tender mercies, and is filled with affection for me!

Because He loves me, He IS and very much wants to be involved and mixed up in my life, for He wants to carry the good work He started in me into completion. 
When trials strike, I must remember that God is not a capricious Father who disciplines us out of pleasure in seeing us suffer. He loves us very much and because He does, it saddens and disappoints Him when we disobey Him. :( And so, out of love, God only wise disciplines us because we are precious to Him.

And these are only my thoughts, but His discipline looks like our conscience being weighed down with guilt when we are disobedient, and Him allowing us to bear the consequences of our foolish, lazy and prideful decisions.

In my conversation with a mum, she was telling me how much she loves her children, but for her to rescue them from the consequences of their poor choices, would be very unkind, harmful even. So she disciplines them by letting them experience these consequences that she knows will be painful and very hard. Disciplining my kids, she says, with tears in her eyes, is so so painful for the kids as well as the parent.

For us to continue disobeying our Heavenly Papa will ultimately harm us. And so as our loving and wise Father, He must correct us. I think it's hard for God too when He disciplines us, but I must trust that He loves me and will see me through.

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