Hebrews 12:7-13: a reflection

7It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children. 9Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. 11All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

The writer of Hebrews helps us understand a hard thing: God's discipline. Endure hardship as discipline, he says; God is treating you as his children, for what child is not disciplined by a father? Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a short while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. And he is honest about how it feels: all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant at the time; yet later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those trained by it.

Notice how this passage reframes the hardships that are God's discipline. It does not pretend they are pleasant; it admits they are painful at the time, not joyful. But it sets them in the light of a Father's love: God disciplines us not because he is against us, but because he is treating us as his children, for our good, to make us share his holiness. And it points to the fruit: the peaceful fruit of righteousness, which the discipline yields later, to those who are trained by it rather than embittered.

That reframing helps us bear the hardships that are God's discipline in our lives. When we are under a painful discipline, it is easy to feel that God is against us, or to grow bitter; the pain is real, and the passage does not deny it. But it invites us to see the hardship as a Father's discipline, aimed at our good, that we may share his holiness, and to be trained by it rather than embittered. When you are under a hard discipline, do not conclude that God is against you; a father disciplines the children he loves. Let the hardship train you, rather than embitter you, trusting that it is aimed at your good and will yield, in time, the peaceful fruit of righteousness. The pain is real and present; but so is the Father's love behind it, and the good fruit ahead. Endure it as a child being trained by a loving Father.

Lord, the writer of Hebrews helps me understand your discipline: to endure hardship as discipline, for you are treating me as your child, disciplining me for my good, that I may share your holiness; and though all discipline seems painful at the time, it yields later the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those trained by it. Help me bear the hardships that are your discipline. When I am under a painful discipline, it is easy to feel that you are against me, or to grow bitter; the pain is real, and your word does not deny it. But it invites me to see the hardship as a Father's discipline, aimed at my good, that I may share your holiness, and to be trained by it rather than embittered. When I am under a hard discipline, keep me from concluding that you are against me; a father disciplines the children he loves. Let the hardship train me, rather than embitter me, trusting that it is aimed at my good and will yield, in time, the peaceful fruit of righteousness. The pain is real and present; but so is your love behind it, and the good fruit ahead. Help me endure it as your child, being trained by a loving Father. Thank you for loving me enough to discipline me, Lord.