Discipline, Part 3

Hebrews 12:7, "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children" (NLT). We always must keep the purpose of divine discipline in view as we respond to God and His correction in our lives. The goal of discipline is to prevent us from harming ourselves and others, to build good character and habits, and to teach us from right and wrong. Undisciplined and reckless actions are selfish and can damage our relationship with God and with others. God's discipline is an act of love to keep us from damaging our most important relationships and to help each of us to become the person God created us to be. Certainly all of us have the desire to reach our potential in our relationship with God. I know that I can sense that desire playing a major role in my daily walk with God. I hunger to reach my potential in Christ and I know that if I am to accomplish that goal in my life I must be willing to receive the correction from God who loves me more than I can truly understand. Each of us can remember those "character" lessons and sessions with God in which He revealed those character flaws that needed divine adjustment. Those encounters did produce temporary moments of pain and even embarrassment but the end result of the process produced growth and maturity in our walk with God. It is so easy to become selfish; we desire our own way and we seek to walk in our will and way. But God who is "rich in mercy" intervenes and teaches us the principle of surrender and submission. I desire to be willing to receive the principles of discipline and correction that emanate from God; after all He does have my best interest in mind.