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Daily Recharge
Mal Fletcher
It Pays off in the End
25 April 2024
Hebrews 12:11 'At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.' (The Message)
We've all come across children who haven't been given enough discipline. They're not a pretty sight: they're like formula one racing cars without brakes. They have enormous potential but it's not being properly channelled. Knowing how to discipline your kids is part of being an effective parent. That starts with remembering that the goal of all discipline is the development of character. God disciplines his children for the same reason. Character has nothing to do with our natural gifts, or our temperament. Character is about what we build with those raw materials, how we make use of our natural temperament and gifts. When God disciplines our lives, he's teaching us how to make the best use of our natural attributes, so that our true potential is not undermined. He's showing us how to use our power of choice to bring about godly results that attract his favour. When it comes to human parental discipline, psychologists speak about the use of 'contingencies', outcomes that are dependent upon a child's behaviour. There are two types of contingency, reward or punishment, and both can be effective at different times and in different situations. Thankfully, in God's dealings with us he uses reward for the most part, because Jesus has taken our sin and punishment upon himself. If God is disciplining some area of your life right now, look ahead and try to identify the benefit that will flow from it. Then, thank him for it, because his discipline is a mark of his great love for you. It's not comfortable, but it will bring you safely to your true destiny!
Prayer: 'Lord, I know that your discipline doesn't feel comfortable. So, I ask you to give me the patience and the wisdom to stay with the program, to let you finish the work you have begun in my life.'
© Mal Fletcher 2003-2004
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