Thankful for God's Discipline

Yes I know, many of you probably read the title and thought "you've got to be kidding! Why would anyone be thankful for discipline?" Read on and you will understand and then hopefully say with me that you too are thankful for God's discipline.

Hebrews 12:6, 10-11 says that God disciplines those He loves. He disciplines us for our own good. Why? "So that we may share in His holiness".

So I am thankful for discipline because when God disciplines me it is showing His great love for me.
If my desire is to be holy as He is holy, then it requires God's discipline, so again I am thankful.

But why be thankful for something that can be so painful?

Verse 11 says that in order for my life to yeild the preaceful fruit of righteousness then I will be trained by a discipline that leads to sorrow. Sorrow over my sin. Sorrow over forgetting God. Sorrow over choosing my own way.

So I am thankful for a discipline that leads me to sorrow over my sin, a sorrow that leads to repentance.

Can you say with me that you are thankful for Godly discipline? If not then may I challenge you to ask God to show you why you are unable to be thankful for His discipline.