This past weekend, we continued our Hebrews XII series where we’re taking four weeks to study one of the most significant chapters in the entire Bible. We came around verses 4-13 and studied God’s discipline.
I know, fun, right? But it actually ended up touching a lot of people. It was one of those words that was both challenging and encouraging at the same time, and sometimes, that’s the word we need the most.
One of the things I tried to do during the sermon was give some particulars about God’s discipline. It’s something we all undergo, but from my experience, it’s not something many of us understand in terms of why God does it or what it looks like. Since the message seemed to strike such a chord in people, I thought I’d post these particulars and give you the who, when, and what of God’s discipline.
Whether you go to Elevation or not, I think they’ll both challenge and encourage you today. I gave pretty much all of these at one point or another in the sermon, but I wanted to consolidate them so you could have them in one place to go back to and reflect on.
As you read these, remember, human fathers do what they think best. God does what He knows is best. He’s the perfect parent. Read this list. Reflect for a few minutes about how God might be correcting you right now. And then choose to cooperate with what God is doing in you.
Who does God discipline:
His children. Correction isn’t a sign of rejection.
It’s a sign you’ve already been accepted.
Not unbelievers. He draws them to Himself.
Or He punishes their sin if they refuse Him.
When does God discipline:
When we become too comfortable.
When we become proud in our hearts.
When we become calloused or stubborn.
When we are in a pattern of disobedience.
When He wants to promote us to a new level.
What does God’s discipline look like:
Sometimes, a conviction in our heart.
Sometimes, a hard word He speaks through others.
Sometimes, a difficulty He allows us to go through.
Sometimes, a distance He allows us to feel.
Sometimes, the natural consequence of our sin He allows to play out.
