Embracing God's Discipline - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 26

Embracing God’s Discipline
By Ashley Moore

“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.” - Hebrews 12:5-6, NLT

Every morning with renewed energy, I am able to hold my children accountable and ensure they obey. But as the day wears on, so does my resolve to enforce discipline—as long as no one is bleeding, everything will be okay, right?

Unlike my feeble attempts at discipline, God never grows weary of redirecting those He loves. He knows that we don't sin in a vacuum; our sin hurts and has ripple effects in our relationships. He cares enough to correct us. But no one enjoys discipline; my three children agree, and I am sure you can also relate! They cry, resist, and make it so incredibly hard to enforce. But despite our resistance to discipline, the Bible says it is good for us!

So what does God’s discipline do for us?

Discipline Serves as Proof of God’s Love
As I mentioned above, sometimes it's easier to forgo disciplining our children. I find this especially true after a long day, and I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. Discipline takes time and energy. We have to grab our children’s attention and then talk them through their choices. We attempt to explain that our choices have consequences, and we have to think through our actions, so we don’t harm ourselves or others. It takes all the self-control I can muster, along with prayer, to curb my behavior in the moment of reprimanding, lest I act just like my child. It takes so much energy, but I do it because I love my kids. And I want to fight for their greatest joy by pointing them to a relationship with Christ. And God disciplines us because He loves us too. Yes, it would be easier to leave us to our own devices, but He doesn’t. He cares enough to correct and redirect!

Discipline Produces Character
Hebrews 12:11 says, “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.”

When we consistently discipline our children, we teach them what it looks like to see our sin, repent, and repair our relationships when they are ruptured by sin. And God reminds us in our key passage not to give up when this happens. And while discipline isn't enjoyable, it is a necessary tool to help us see how we fall short of God's glorious standard (Romans 3:23). It hurts our pride to admit when we are wrong and to apologize. If you don’t believe me, pay attention the next time you see a kid react when asked to apologize to a sibling. You would think it was killing them to admit their wrongdoing. And we aren’t too different, are we? But we must press through the discomfort to enjoy the harvest of right living that comes from God’s discipline and redirection.

While I quickly tire of correcting my children, God does not weary in disciplining His children. Let us not become discouraged when God disciplines us, but instead, take it as a sign of His great love for us because it would probably be easier for Him to overlook our sinfulness. Instead, let’s lean into the discomfort of discipline, trusting that God is using it to produce wonderful results in our lives that will bless us and those around us. We can only hope as we seek to change our attitude toward discipline, it will rub off on our children, amen?

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Think of a time God prompted you to repent from sin or ask for forgiveness. What are one or two things God produced in you through that experience? Did you feel more loved by Him or less loved by Him? Take time to journal your thoughts and thank God for anything He reveals about His character and love for you.

Further Reading:

Ashley Moore is a writer and host of be the two™podcast. She is known for her relatability and for passionately writing and speaking about mental, emotional, and relational health from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Magazine, Guideposts, Crosswalk, The Secret Place, enLIVEn, The Bubbling Brook and more. If Ashley isn't writing, you can find her with her husband, three children, and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The best way to connect with Ashley is to grab a free devotional or Bible study and join her newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.com.