Hardship! – Deep Thoughts & Little Happenings

Today’s Scripture Passage:

Hebrews 12:1-11

Key Verse(s):

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 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. Hebrews 12:7 & 11 (NIV)

Hebrews is a great book, and chapter twelve is my favorite. I feel like Jesus is pulling me up close to His side and redirecting my line of sight every time I read it.

I can almost hear Him asking me to be still for a minute and consider the hardships of my life from His point of view.

It’s like He’s inviting me to exchange my understanding of hardship for His. He’s gently realigning my perspective, and giving me the ability to see hardship as training instead of trouble.

Verse seven informs us hardship and discipline are interchangeable. Verse eleven explains the purpose for discipline is training.

Verse eleven also includes a promise. His training produces a “harvest of righteousness and peace.”

I think the role of hardship is important to every Jesus-follower. We’re being trained to live well in our freedom. Jesus bought our freedom from sin and death. He paid a high price to give us the opportunity to choose between freedom and slavery.

Slavery forbids choice. Freedom requires we make our own choices. Will we choose to submit and practice what the hardships of life are teaching us, or will we submit to our flesh and it’s cravings?

My flesh kicks against the training I gain through hardship. I don’t want to face financial difficulties, heath problems, broken relationships, or death. But it’s not just those big things my flesh kicks against. My flesh doesn’t like to clean the toilets, vacuum, dust, empty the dishwasher, or exercise. My flesh would love nothing more than to spend each day eating good food, reading mystery/suspense novels, and chatting with family and friends while sitting on the beach.

Sounds good, right? Well, maybe your flesh would like something different, but you get my point. That kind of thinking sets me up for a miserable existence of whining and complaining. A life lived missing the adventure and blessings of the LORD’s freedom training.

LORD, help us not be discouraged by the hardships of life. Instead, bless us with the ability to learn from You. Teach us how to live well in the freedom You’ve given us. May we learn to choose wisely and be bold in our confidence in You. Amen.

If you haven’t yet chosen the freedom Jesus has for you, use the following link and find out how to start living in His freedom today. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic