JOYFUL ENDURANCE

THE DISCIPLINE OF GOD

(Hebrews12:1-11)

Good morning! God has been faithful. I have been making significant progress. How about you?

Discipline according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines discipline as

‘control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders be obeyed and punishing bad behavior’.

Everybody becomes great by two things, and these are what they enjoy and what they endure.

Christianity is a process that involves great discipline. You cannot be a true and correct child of God without being disciplined by God.

Heb 12:5-8 tells us that

5 So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children?

My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline,

but don't be crushed by it either.

6 It's the child he loves that he disciplines;

the child he embraces, he also corrects.

7 God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training,

God’s discipline is training and there is the need to embrace His discipline to be able to get to where God is taking you to. As a matter of fact, I have never seen anybody truly and fully walking with God without godly discipline. The passage above shows that some people despise discipline (v. 5), and some are discouraged by discipline (v. 5), but in verse 6-7 we are encouraged to endure it.

We need to embrace discipline with joy in our hearts. The discipline that God takes us through are suppossed to make us better and not bitter. Many people get bittered by what they endure rather than getting better. Look beyond the pain to the gain and get positioned for a glorious future.

God does not hate you friend, He loves you with a love that can never be fully explained and cares most importantly about your glorious future and who you are becoming everyday in Christ.  

What is God’s discipline that you’re despising at the moment? Ask Him for forgiveness for despising it and the courage to face it.

Say this prayer with me:

Dear Lord, thank You for the love that You have towards me. Thank You so much for all the discipline that You have showered on me. I’m sorry for not taking it seriously. Dear Father, I ask for the grace and the strength to joyfully endure all of the disciplines that You will bring my way. I ask that at the end, I will be like Christ and reign eternally with Him. Thank you Jesus. Amen

You are blessed for life!

Your friend and brother

Adesina Abegunde