The Dividends of Discipline

FRESH Official Podcast

I have yet to meet someone who enjoys being disciplined; who loves it when someone else pulls them up for how they’re behaving. How about you?

A good many people – and I number among them – are self-disciplined. We somehow have this knack of reigning ourselves in, in certain areas of our life. I, for instance, am good at getting up very early each morning and, after a time with the Lord, preparing devotions like this one.

But no one’s perfect. I have weaknesses, just like you do. And sometimes my wife will pull me up and hold me to account. Other times, our ministry board will have different ideas from the ones I have. The same’s no doubt true in your life. People will pull you up and, in a sense, discipline you.

Then … then there’s God!

Hebrews 12:10,11 Our fathers on earth disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us to help us so that we can be holy like him. We don’t enjoy discipline when we get it. It is painful. But later, after we have learned our lesson from it, we will enjoy the peace that comes from doing what is right.

No, we don’t enjoy discipline – be it human or divine. But the dividend of discipline is so great that the discomfort is absolutely worth it. As

American entrepreneur Jim Rohn once said, “We must all suffer one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” Yep … it is painful. But later, after we’ve learned our lesson from it, we’ll enjoy the peace that comes from doing what’s right.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.