Affliction as Fatherly Discipline

 

Devotion – Affliction as Fatherly Discipline

Scripture:
“He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” — Hebrews 12:10–11

Personal Reflection:
Affliction often feels like punishment. In my pain, I wonder: Is God angry with me? Has He abandoned me? Yet Scripture assures me that for the child of God, affliction is never condemnation but loving discipline. The Father uses trials not to destroy, but to refine, shaping me into the likeness of Christ. His rod may sting, but it is a rod of love, not wrath.

Contemplation:
Am I quick to resent discipline, or do I see it as God’s fatherly care? Do I measure His love by comfort, or by His commitment to my holiness?

Quote (Murray):
“Affliction is not judgment, but a Father’s rod to conform His children to holiness.”

Prayer:
Father, forgive me when I resent Your discipline. Help me to see that every hardship You permit is designed for my holiness. Teach me to embrace affliction as a means of grace rather than despise it as punishment.

Challenge:
Recall a past hardship that later produced spiritual growth. Thank God specifically for how He used it for your good.