Former Blackout Artist

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? – Hebrews 12:7

People sure are interesting sometimes. I have this one lady friend who likes to say, “If you don’t have any problems in your life, it’s probably because Satan recognizes you already belong to him and he’s just leaving you alone.” Then I have another friend who’s been known to ask, “Why are people so quick to blame God for all of their problems and not the devil?”

Maybe it’s just me, but there seems to be a real disconnect in both of those thought patterns. I mean, yeah, the devil can stir up trouble – Scripture is clear about that. But not every hard thing in life is him pulling the strings. And on the flip side, God’s not sitting up there tossing problems at us just to make us miserable. There’s a bigger picture, and Hebrews 12:7 gives us a glimpse of it: Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?”

The writer of Hebrews (12:4-11) is talking to people who are going through some rough stuff. They’re struggling, and they’re tempted to think it’s pointless or that God is mad at them. But the passage actually flips that idea on its head. It says hardship isn’t always the devil’s doing, and it’s not God being cruel either. Sometimes it’s God disciplining us – not like a mean boss cracking a whip as soon as the coffee break is over, but like a loving parent who wants the best for their kid.

See, God disciplines His children because He loves us. Just like a good parent corrects their kid when they’re heading down the wrong path, God uses tough times to shape us. He’s not trying to break us, He’s trying to build us. He wants us to grow into the character of His Son Jesus – patient, wise, compassionate, and faithful. And sometimes the only way we get there is through seasons of testing and hardship.

Think about it… without resistance, our muscles become weak and start to atrophy. So they need pressure and resistance to strengthen and grow. Our muscles need to be challenged. Faith works the same way.

The passage also says God disciplines us so we can be holy and righteous. That sounds fancy, but it just means He wants us to live in a way that reflects Christ – in both thought and action. But that doesn’t come naturally to me because deep down – I’m naturally resistant to living the way Christ lived. My pride tells me I’m awesome and deserving of everyone’s praise and attention. My self-centeredness tells me that what I want is more important than what others around me need. There’s also this stubborn streak of self-determination that tries to convince me that I’m fully capable of taking care of myself – that God needs me more than I need Him. In other words – everything about how I live my life is contrary to the humble way Jesus lived. And yet, despite all those selfish qualities, God still loves me. In fact – He loves me so much that He refuses to let me linger in that naturally selfish and sinful state.

So how does God make someone who isn’t teachable, teachable? How does He turn someone who only cares about himself into someone who cares about others? How does God accomplish the seemingly impossible? He disciplines us through hardship. Yep – God allows us to go through seasons of trial and testing.

Hardship can burn away the sin in our hearts, like pride and selfishness, and help us focus on what really matters. It’s not fun – not at all! Verse 11 tells us straight-up, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.” Ain’t that the truth! When we’re in the middle of a hardship – like a health scare, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or a messy family situation – it feels awful. But later, when you look back, you often see how God used it to make you stronger, wiser, and closer to Him. There have been seasons in my life when all I could do was humble myself and come to Him in my own Romans 8:28 prayer: Lord, I don’t know why You’ve allowed this to happen, and I’d rather not go through this. But You know all things, Father, and I know there’s a purpose behind it. Just help me learn what it is that You’re trying to teach me. I know that You love me, and that You’re allowing this for my good and Your glory.”

So, the next time life gets hard, don’t be too quick to blame the devil or shake your fist at God. Maybe it’s just His loving hand at work, guiding you through the struggle to make you more like Jesus. It’s not always the devil’s doing. Sometimes it’s God’s discipline, and that’s a good thing, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment.

Hang in there. Trust God, and let Him do His good work in you.