It's for your own good!

When I was 6 years old, I used to stay at an after school program called "Late-stay".  When school was finished, all of the kids whose parents worked late would stay at "Late-stay" and wait to be picked up from school.  My sister and I would both play on the playground for awhile, and when it was time to be picked up, we would all sit in the hallway underneath our lunch boxes and coats (hung on a hook) and wait for our mothers or fathers to take us home.

One winter afternoon, we were all lined up, side by side, sitting quietly in the hallway.  As we were waiting, I saw a girl from my class walking towards the door with her mother.  This particular girl and I did not get along, and I had the bright idea that I would stick my leg out and try to trip her on the way out the door.  As I did, she stepped over my leg and her mother tripped on my leg instead.  It was awful!  She fell in front of all of the other children, and was extremely embarrassed.  Even though it wasn't my intention to trip her mother, all of the other children laughed at her and I was in serious trouble.

That evening, the principal called my Father at home, and needless to say, it was the worst punishment I ever received as a child.  I had to learn my lesson!  Right before the punishment was being dealt, My Father said "This is for your own good!"

For years, I thought that was insane.  How could something so awful be for my own good?  Hebrews 12 mentions the same thing for us as Christians:

Hebrews 12:7-11

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰ Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Even as adults, we endure hardships.  Some of us have lost our jobs, others have lost our homes.  There are financial setbacks, disappointments and heartache during our life.  As Christians, we are to endure each hardship as discipline.  God uses these events in our lives to bring us closer to Him.

Today, reflect on what you have gone through over the past few years and thank God for loving you enough to discipline you through your hardships.  Our Father knows what is best for us, and uses those events to make us into the Godly men and women He desires us to be.

P.S.  Mrs, Huffman, if you are reading this, I am truly sorry for tripping you!  I can honestly say "I learned my lesson!"