May 24, Discipline

Today’s reading: Psalms 116-120

“The Lord has chastened me severely,
but he has not given me over to death” - Psalm 118:18.

God is your Father, and one thing that all fathers should do is discipline their children. In today’s verse, the psalmist indicated his discipline had been quite severe. This brings to mind the passage in Hebrews 12:8-11, which has this to say about discipline:

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Is God disciplining you? Have you lost sight of your need for discipline because you have walked with Him for a while? Can you joyfully submit to God’s training at this point in your life?