Today’s Bible reading from the Five Day Bible Reading Plan: Numbers 3-; Hebrews 12

As children, none of us felt happy when our parents disciplined us. Timeouts, groundings, spankings–we never left those times thinking, “Wow, I’m glad that happened.” If the punishment was just, we recognized on some level that we deserved this. As we get older, the disciplining would be some trial that we would need to endure in order to help us develop the character and stamina to persevere.

God disciplines those He loves to develop character and perseverance in us. As verse 11 shows, “For the oment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later yields the peaceful fruit of righteeousness to those who have been trained by it.” So discipline trains us. For what? “That we may share in his holiness” (v. 10).

Stunning! God works these things in us to share something that exclusively belongs to Him–holiness–by kicking out that which belongs exclusively to us–sin.

So the next time you are sent through a trial or convicted about a sin that you committed (private or public), it won’t seem pleasant but look at the long game. God is at work in you to make us “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).

Praise God for the work He works in you, dear Christian.