Hebrews 12
Many people want to live a better life. They can visualize themselves as a loving parent, a faithful friend, and committed to serving the Lord with all their heart. However, what they see in reality is far from what they imagine in their mind.
What’s going wrong?! How can I get my life on the right track?!
There may be a number of things you must specifically accomplish to live the life the Lord desires for you to live. However, they cannot begin without a new way of thinking.
Many people strive to find a comfortable ‘place’ in their lives. They want to enjoy the fruits of their labor while living comfortable and secure. However, as ‘life’ can be, many experience hardships, trials, and pain instead of peace. As much as we try, the ‘sweet spot’ we desire seems so far away. We run from our trials as fast as we can to find our ‘sweet spot’ of peace – often without thought or regard to those around us.
Have you ever considered that the Lord uses our life circumstances to help us reach a different type of ‘sweet spot?’
1. We like seeing examples of righteousness. Throughout history, there has been many men and women of great faith. Through the trials they faced, they had the assured trust and confidence in the promises of God. They displayed a level of faith we aspire to achieve:
Hebrews 11:35-40 – Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
2. Jesus is our greatest example of righteousness. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life in spite of evil intentions, jealousy, strife, and even his own emotions. He lived in obedience to His Father and His purpose on earth. He understood who He was and what He was called to accomplish. Nothing swayed Him from His path and purpose for living (Luke 9:51-56).
Proverbs 13:24 – He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
When it comes to discipline or punishment, many of us believe if ‘you spare the rod, you spoil the child’ (Proverbs 13:24). And many take every opportunity to use the rod without understanding the purpose of discipline. For many people disciplining their children, they react based on emotions. Yes, they want to correct negative behavior, but may do so out of anger (sometimes uncontrolled). However, there’s a few reasons why this approach can be counterproductive:
1. Discipline is a corrective tool. In disciplining our children, our purpose must be to (1) isolate the behavior; (2) address it appropriately; and (3) place our children on the path toward good and godly success. Discipline is not a means for us to take out our anger on our children. If we know our children well, using a rod may not the most effective means to correct their behavior in every situation. Sometimes a short discussion can accomplish the same result.
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