“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.”  Hebrews 12:5-6

Life can seem to be trying and wearisome at times.  This summer is the third summer in a row that my wife has had to use crutches due to injury.   My own health issues have been more challenging this year.  I have added two new specialists to my list of doctors and will likely add a third by the end of the year.  And yet, despite our struggles and their related frustration and fatigue, we consider ourselves quite fortunate having learned over time that:  our situation could be much worse; our trials are truly “light and momentary”; and God is faithful to sustain us.  It doesn’t make the endurance an easy thing, but it does encourage us and provide a healthier perspective than our culture offers.  With this understanding, we further recognize that the discipline and sustaining grace of God is infinitely better than being neglected.

The purpose of Hebrews 12:1-17 (you may read it here:  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+12%3A1-17&version=NASB) is to move us away from the temptation to emote and to provide: a healthy perspective regarding God’s discipline, a perfect example of endurance; and the encouragement to endure so that we don’t grow weary and lose heart.  Discipline has a few meanings.  The connotation that is often first in our minds is punishment or punitive discipline.  As Christians we understand that Christ’s death on the cross has satisfied the penalty for our sins, therefore God’s discipline for us is not punitive in nature.  Consequently, we are left with two forms of discipline: corrective and instructive.  When we behave in a manner that is contrary to God’s principles, He will lovingly bring about circumstances in our lives to correct us as He did with King David after committing adultery and murder, i.e. in David’s case, the death of a their child and the confrontation of a good friend.  Hopefully it is more often, the events of our lives teaching us, equipping us or refining us.  They may break our strongholds of resistance to obedience, bring us to a point that allows us to see new truths in scripture or bring us to a greater understanding of what we have learned before.  Both the joys and the trials of our lives give us an appreciation for certain situations so that we can adequately minister to others or share the gospel in a unique way.  They may confine us so that we hone a particular skill such as becoming an effective prayer warrior.  Finally they perfect us.  Thankfully God does not show us all of our faults at once and thereby overwhelm us.  Rather the Holy Spirit uses the events of our lives to reveal them gradually so that we can address them properly and we grow in grace.  Further, they teach us reliance on God rather than ourselves as we bring our needs to Him and allow Him to sustain us and bring us peace.  As a result our faith and our relationship with God are strengthened.

Sometimes trials come in waves and we feel like we can’t catch a break.  There are difficulties such as chronic illness or pain that may ebb and flow, but will never go away.   Another challenge is a loss that leaves a hole in us emotionally that will never leave us.  For many in other countries there is the prominent threat of imprisonment or physical harm for faith in Christ.  Often we may desire God to solve all of our problems and make life easy or at least comfortable.  More simply put, we would rather be neglected by God than endure His discipline.  Paul equates this with becoming illegitimate children.  (Verse 8)  In Roman culture, many nobles had illegitimate children that were provided for financially, but received nothing more.  In contrast, the legitimate children were trained so completely, that it was onerous and akin to slavery.  Put in our context, only the physical needs of the illegitimate children were met while the legitimate children received provisions for both their physical needs and training in discipline necessary to succeed in life.  When we understand and remember that the discipline of God is an act of love and comes from a His desire to have a closer relationship with Him and that He will be with us and sustain us throughout the process, it is much easier to endure.  As Paul puts it in verse 10, “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”

In Hebrews 12:1, the apostle Paul compares our life of faith to a race and encourages us to run with endurance.  Thankfully we don’t have to figure out how to train on our own.  Scripture provides models of faith to inspire us as we endure the trials of this life; Hebrews 11 provides a concise list for us to consider.  God also weaves examples of godliness and mentors in our own lives to further encourage us.  Most importantly in verses 2-3, we are directed to look to Christ as our example of the One who endured much with grace by keeping His vision fixed on the end result rather than the current circumstance.  Since our Lord endured the frustration and pain of temptation, hostility and physical abuse in a godly manner, He provides us with the perfect model of how to endure and behave in all circumstances.   It also means that beyond our awareness, He understands us perfectly so that He can appropriately intercede with the Father on our behalf.    With the perfect example of our Savior and His intercession on our behalf, the encouragement of the godly who walk with us and have gone before us, the work of Holy Spirit in us and the presence of our Heavenly Father with us at all times, we have what we need to endure and not grow weary.  We must simply choose not to give up.

As if we need to be reminded, Paul states plainly in verse 11 that “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful”.  So why should we choose to endure with grace?  We do it for the end results…and there are several.  Paul finishes his statement in verse 11 by further proclaiming that “to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”  As I’ve already stated, enduring the discipline of God draws us into a closer relationship with God as it is a form of returning His love for us.  Further, as we endure and learn from our trials and share our experience with others as a form of encouragement, we are drawn into deeper fellowship with them.  In other words, the body of Christ is strengthened as we endure together.  Finally it perfects us “so that we may share His holiness” and ultimately abide with God for eternity.  This is the joy that is set before us so that we do not grow weary and loose heart.  Yes discipline is difficult and sorrowful, but the benefits of the joy set before us far outweigh the sorrows.

There is nothing wrong with pouring out our hearts to God and begging for relief or His help to endure.  In fact, we are commanded to humbly do so as it brings us closer to God and recognizes our reliance on Him.  However, to ask Him to stop refining us is essentially asking Him to neglect us and focus on our temporal comfort at the expense of our eternal joy.  Therefore, let us chose to endure the discipline of Almighty God for the benefits set before us.  Let us individually and as a community “strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for our feet” following the example of our Savior so that we may enjoy eternity with Him and bask in the light of His glory.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.

Will