Discipline

I had a friend call me yesterday who lives down at the Mission. She was upset because she was being "disciplined" for her anger and lashing out at someone with poisonous words. The discipline was painful.

I shared this truth with her:

" Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us FOR OUR GOOD, that we may share in HIS HOLINESS. 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 12:10 & 11

I told her to thank the people involved in disciplining her because that shows how much they love her and care about her. They are thinking about her future righteousness and peace. Discipline most certainly IS PAINFUL. But God loves us soooo much and knows that a little pain now for wrongdoing will lead to a life of peace in the future.

I was thankful I had this conversation with her because just moments after I got off the phone I needed to hold on to them as I disciplined one of my own children. I thought, "It would be soooo much easier to simply let kids do what they want to do. It requires soooo much time, energy, wisdom, patience, emotion, perseverance, a will to stick it out and do what you say you are going to do, it requires a strength to allow your child to experience some pain, vision to see and care about the future righteousness and peace of the child.

As my child fought me for over an hour, I cannot describe how thankful I was for these words of God guiding me, assuring me, reminding me to hang in there during this painful time now because it will lead to peace in the future.


If you have been "naughty, wrong, sinful, ......." and are experiencing the negative consequences as a result of your behavior, please, please, be thankful to God that his desire is for you to learn from your pain and change your ways that you may grow in righteousness and thus experience a life of peace. If you were disciplined by your parents, please thank them for what you put them through and that they had the strength to stand firm and enough love for you to sacrifice their time, energy, etc....

If you are a parent in the thick of disciplining children, KEEP IT UP MY FRIENDS. We are giving our children a gift beyond measure. May we not become weary.

"I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints, BUT LET THEM NOT RETURN TO THEIR FOLLY. Surely, his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; RIGHTEOUSNESS AND PEACE KISS EACH OTHER."
Psalm 85:8-10

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Prov. 13:24

Blessings from Bombadil. Kristy Joy link