Hebrew's 12:11-13
Some days I wake up and don’t know what to do with myself. It is not that I don’t have
things to do, but more of a matter of lack of routine. I enjoy setting up my schedule and
planning for how my weekly life will look like for the next few months. I am not
complaining, but in times of transition it is hard to plan how and when to do things.
Having a pattern of life helps me shortcut tasks and find balance to get everything done
that I need to without having too much stress or pushing deadlines. When my daily
tasks change or aren’t well developed then I miss things. I set aside time for
interruptions and relationships every day, but if I don’t have my tasks planned then I feel
lost not knowing what to do next.
I know what the problem is, but I don’t always know how to solve that problem. My
problem is a problem of discipline. I am reminded of Hebrews 12:11-13:
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.
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are
feeble, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may
not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
God’s work of discipline in our lives requires a response. The extended passage in
verses 4-17 the author of Hebrews shares with us that that we may not like God’s
discipline, but He does it for our good. He applies discipline to our daily life to help us
become more like Him in all things. How we respond to His discipline matters.
The result of God’s discipline is a strengthening of our life and faith; while the author of
Hebrews uses the physical body to demonstrate the strengthening work of God’s
discipline it is easy to see this allegory applies to our spiritual lives. When God applies
His discipline to our lives it is done out of love and may not be pleasant at the time but
results in heart transformation if we respond to it. God’s discipline bears the fruit of
peaceful righteousness.
That result of God’s discipline is what I want in my life right now, peaceful
righteousness. I know that God is applying discipline to my life, it is not a pleasant
experience right now, but it will result in peaceful righteousness. That promised result
gives me hope.
My lack of discipline and routine affects not only me, but all areas of my life. I know that
I need to apply discipline to my life to gain that peaceful righteousness; planning out my
times of work, rest, projects and play will allow all areas of my life to come under God’s
discipline. Praise Him for the opportunity to learn and grow in righteousness.