Hardship & Holiness

Introduction

Convo w/ Dad about commonalities of good parents (surprised by discipline)

Been on my mind because of fatherhood and reading Proverbs (3:11-12) w/ REACH

It’s also on my mind because of the difficulty of parenting

It’s like the beginning of a poem I read recently…

Oh how I wish that I could be formed Like soft clay in the hands of the potter Instead I feel like unbending steel And the blacksmith’s flames must burn hotter

Do you ever wish spiritual growth could be more automatic? It’s one thing to discipline your kids, but what to do when you’re disciplined by God?

Read Hebrews 12:3-11

Explanation & Exhortation

There’s a lot of good to unpack here, but first need to clarify…

Discipline and punishment are not the same thing. (v. 6-9, the one he loves)

A bit of semantics, but the Hebrew & Greek words we typically translate “discipline” or “punishment” differ from one another

Discipline = God’s children/love, punishment = the wicked/wrath

Revelation 3:19 — Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!

Matthew 25:46 — Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

1 John 4:18 — There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. (not talking about reverence, but being afraid)

2014 NYT article, 1K books on happiness in 3 months that year

“People shoot for happiness but feel formed by suffering.”

God’s loving discipline may feel like hardship, but it leads to holiness (v. 10-11, share his holiness)

What feels painful is actually productive.

What is a burden may also be a blessing.

Revitalized prayer during Luke’s first few weeks

Renewed dependence during support raising lapse

“I Asked the Lord that I Might Grow” by John Newton

I asked the Lord that I might grow In faith and love and ev’ry grace, Might more of His salvation know, And seek more earnestly His face. I hoped that in some favored hour At once He’d answer my request And, by His love’s constraining pow’r, Subdue my sins and give me rest. Instead of this, He made me feel The hidden evils of my heart And let the angry pow’rs of hell Assault my soul in ev’ry part. “Lord, why is this,” I trembling cried; “Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?” “’Tis in this way,” the Lord replied, “I answer prayer for grace and faith.” “These inward trials I employ From self and pride to set thee free And break thy schemes of earthly joy That thou may’st find thy all in Me.”

Friends, this is why Romans 8:28 can be true even in our darkest moments. The goal is to let our trials make us Christ-like, not calloused.

Change your attitude by changing your attention. (v. 3-5, consider Jesus)

Apologetics on UF campus — When I suffer I don’t always understand why, but I don’t understand why Jesus suffered for me either.

Conclusion

For the righteous, there’s discipline now but no punishment later. For the wicked, there’s no discipline now (hardship for hardship’s sake) but there’s punishment later.

Christ already took the punishment you deserve! What are you waiting for? Die to your old life and trust in Jesus.

Galatians 6:2 — Carry each other’s burdens… —> prayer