Most of us have daddy issues(& mommy issues, if you asked my kids) for one reason or another. I often think back to how my life was when I was growing up and how my parents raised me. Was their parenting effective? Did I learn anything from the punishments that I experienced? Did the punishment fit the crime? Yes, I think their parenting was effective. I turned out pretty normal. I'd say I learned from most punishments what not to do. Do I believe the punishment always fit the crime? Not always. As a kid I didn't always think getting a spanking, being sent to my room, or having the phone taken away was very fair punishment for whatever "wrong" I had committed. My dad was usually the one to spank me and my younger sister if my mom had just had enough. We knew the belt was coming if daddy was coming! I was a bit of a hard head around the age of 8 or so, so I laughed and exclaimed, "that didn't hurt!" Of course that didn't help. After the spanking, I returned to my room and screamed and yelled and spouted, "I hate you daddy!" Did I really hate him? At the time, yes, but honestly no I didn't. I didn't want to be disciplined. My dad's love had not changed for me because he had to punish me. He had to do a very difficult thing. I now know he didn't enjoy spanking me as much as I thought. None of us likes discipline, but the truth of the matter is that is necessary and in most cases vital in order for us to grow and to learn.
I was posting the Jesus Calling Devotional online and one of the verses was Hebrews 12:1-13. The devotional only referred to verses 1-2 but this whole chapter was so awesome that I had to put it all in here! 1"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us,and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
I don't know about you, but that humbles me! So let's break this down a little bit. The first few verses explain that because so many are watching what we do that we have to shake off our everyday woes and build our strength in Jesus by keeping our focus on Him. Remembering that Jesus endured the Cross for our sin, my sin, your sin, and we have not been persecuted to the point of death or even the slightest bloodshed. This is where it gets interesting. Verse 5 speaks about the fact that we have forgotten God's strong urging against hating His discipline and to not be discouraged when He has to discipline us. Then the later verses go onto explain that because God loves us He has to punish us. (Wait, that sounds like my dad! That can't be right!) He does it for our benefit to prosper us and make us more like Him. (Remember this is going to hurt me more than it's going to hurt you?) Now here's where it gets good! Verse 11 says that while we don't enjoy being punished and we don't like the pain we endure from the punishment, afterwards we will benefit from the experience. Imagine that...being punished (spanked, sent to your room, grounded) and then learning from it (not being sassy, respecting your parents, and repenting). It sounds like a good plan to me!
My favorite verses are 12 & 13. Keep your hands and legs strong so that you can stay on the right path and you won't have to worry about stumbling or getting weak because your focus will be on Jesus who makes us strong!! Punishment comes when we lose sight of what's really important and choose to do our own thing. Sound like your kids or you as a kid?
So, my conclusion is that, yes, I love my fathers; the one here on earth and the One who sits at the right hand of God in Heaven because they both first loved me!
Think about it!
Do you feel like God is punishing you? Is there an unrepented sin in your life? What are you learning from this punishment? What can you do to strengthen your arms and legs to keep you on His path?
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