By Pastor Steve Nickodemus
Stretched!
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11 English Standard Version
Stretching out your muscles in the morning is good for you and prevents injury when you are doing work later. But at the moment of stretching it doesn’t feel pleasant, but painful. Or as the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.”
God has ways of stretching us spiritually also. The writer of the Hebrews calls it “discipline” and he assures us that though it may be painful at the time, later it “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” if we allow ourselves to learn from it. This discipline from God always involves suffering. Suffering can come from grief and loss or betrayal and offenses. It can come in the form of persecution or it can be part of the suffering that all people experience in this world where sin has caused brokenness and hurt and death.
All people experience suffering but not all see the suffering as something that God uses for our good. Paul, in Romans 5:3-5, tells us that suffering produces endurance and character and hope. And that hope will not disappoint us for God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
In other words, this suffering is like the discipline of a child. Although a child may not appreciate discipline at the moment, in the long run that stretching of our heart produces great good. Jesus suffered all things that we might be saved from sin and death and the devil, and the suffering that we experience draws us closer to him if we allow that discipline to do its work.
Lord Jesus, I confess that I do not like suffering or discipline but I thank you that you use it for my good. Thank you that you endured the cross with its pain and shame so that I might have eternal life with you. Send me your Holy Spirit that I might not only endure suffering, but become more like you through it. Amen.
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado
