Have you ever heard the phrase, “Wait till your father gets home?” For those who have, it has struck fear in their hearts while they waited for Dad to get off work to dole out the punishment for some disobedience they committed. My siblings and I had several instances where we waited for hours in suspense. Most of the time, it was much ado about nothing, but a few were pretty painful to the backside. The results of discipline should produce better behavior afterward. It did for a while, but soon I forgot the past pain.
HEBREWS 12:11
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
The Purpose of Instruction
The writer of Hebrews spends several verses in chapter twelve talking about the discipline of the Lord. Some translations call it chastening. It means to punish for the purpose of instruction. In today’s passage, the focus is on the results of discipline. For a moment, discipline isn’t joyful, but eventually, it yields fruit which for believers is righteousness. The key is to focus on the result of the chastening and not the brief moment of discomfort.
Don’t Despise Discipline
Don’t despise the chastening of the Lord. It is done to produce an intended result. If you are going through a season of correction, don’t get bitter or full of sorrow. Let it train and instruct you so that it can yield the necessary fruit in your heart that God wants to see. God is in the process of transforming you into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. The chastening is to root out any rebellion in your heart.
The Results of Discipline
Each disciple of Jesus Christ is expected to yield fruit. Some of that is the fruit of the Spirit, and others are the fruit of righteousness. This is evidence that God is working in your life. We bear the fruit of repentance and faithfulness. Selfishness and sin are what hinder the fruit from growing in your life. Sanctification is the process of moving from selfishness to fruitfulness. If we start to regress, God will often discipline us to take us back toward fruitfulness. Desire the results of discipline.
