Merriam-Webster describes discipline as training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character.
That is why we discipline as a parent, right?
We want our children to obey the rules, directions, and expectations we have laid before them to ultimately help them have moral character and become successful adults.
(If that is not your reasoning for disciplining your children, I ask, in love, that you examine your heart.)
It is also the most effective to have discipline be natural consequences so that your children link the result with the behavior they chose. Choosing a consequence that is completely unrelated to the negative behavior is not beneficial for our children to remember in the future!
Now here’s the crux about discipline that parents don’t often acknowledge. Who actually is in charge of whether discipline takes place?
Our children! Think about it. If our children are obeying then we don’t need to discipline them. And when they choose to abide we don’t continue to keep adding on more discipline after the initial consequence.
Friends, this is the same with our Heavenly Father. Discipline takes place when we are not obeying and abiding in all aspects of our life. When we correct our behavior and our heart, the discipline stops. Our Heavenly Father is just and merciful.
(This is also an important time to note that discipline and trials are different. A trial is a test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something. Check out my post on trials for greater information.)
So why are we disciplined by God? Because He wants us to obey the rules, directions, and expectations He has laid before us to ultimately help us have moral character and become successful adults to glorify Him and share His message with others.
He wants what’s best for us and He knows more than us what is best!
How many times have you said that your children?! With God, this is infinitely more true!
We also have the ability to stop the discipline, like our children. Repent and obey! Obedience has a pretty bad reputation in our society but it is out of pride and selfishness that we choose not to.
But remember, we also have God’s unconditional love. Our behaviors are not to determine whether we are saved. Good behavior and acts cannot get us to heaven. That is only through faith and grace of Jesus that we are saved.
So it is out of love that we are disciplined by God to help us become the people He created us to be!
[ctt template=”4″ link=”SbZwC” via=”no” ]It is out of love that we are disciplined by God to help us become the people He created us to be! [/ctt]
Take the time to read the below bible scriptures and truly focus on what they are saying to you. Some passages may touch you differently than others. Writing down the verses in your own hand is helpful for some individuals. Possibly looking up the verses in your own bible may be beneficial. I use a NIV bible translation. Or reading them over and over to commit to memory. Whatever method works best for you to experience God’s words and feel closer to Him.
Hebrews 12: 5-6
And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Hebrews 12:10-11
They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 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.
Deuteronomy 8:5
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord, your God disciplines you.
Revelations 3:19-20
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
I pray that this post help you to evaluate the areas of your life that you feel you are being disciplined. Remember, you are in control of your behaviors and responses.
God bless!
Melissa
Thanks for the reminder of God’s love for us!
And thank YOU for stopping by and commenting! God bless!
Melissa, once again, you have taken a simple idea and made it heavy with meaning and teaching. Obedience is absolutely key in our growth with Jesus. I have often found that when I am being disciplined if I choose to obey what ever it is that God is telling me, I am drawn deeper into His many layers. I love that. The same is true with our children…adults and younger…when they obey the teaching they know is right and true…it not only enhances their relationship with God, but with us as well. Great post. Thanks for the reminder that discipline is all part of God’s relationship with us. – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
Thank you, Amy, for your encouragement! You are so right that our obedience following discipline brings us closer to God and His love for us. Thank you for reading and for your insightful comment! God bless!
If our children have a contrite heart and truly are sorry for their sin, they should not receive punishment. In the same way, when we come to God in true repentance, He forgives us and shows mercy.
Very true Susan! He provides us endless ways to emulate Him in all we do. Thank you for reading and commenting! God bless!
Discipline is never fun, but the lessons learned are priceless. As a child if I did everything I wanted to without boundaries I wouldn’t think my parents cared. It is the same with God. He sets the rules for us because He loves and cares for us,
Absolutely! Unfortunately, today there are plenty of parents that do allow their children to do whatever because they don’t want them to be distressed. It really doesn’t help the child now or in the future. But this is also why the concept of discipline and obedience is so difficult in society now. Thank you for reading and commenting! God bless!
Obedience! God continues to press me into full obedience. Thank you for the reminder that all He does, He does out of His great love!
Sometime it can be a hard reminder when in the moment we want what we want. I also find having my own struggles with discipline and obedience provide me more empathy for my kids! It’s a matter of maturity – as a person, in regards to our children and maturity in our faith as Christians. Thank you for reading and commenting! God bless!
Hi Melissa
Thank you for your blog post “Living in the Word – Prayer Devotional for Discipline.”
It was an encouraging read today.
You’re right. We want our children to develop a moral character that’ll help them in their adult life.
I often think about what I need to teach my son and why I want him to learn it.
I also want to use some consequences that are fair so that we develop a healthy relationship.
I like when you say:
“Choosing a consequence that is completely unrelated to the negative behaviour is not beneficial for our children to remember in the future!”
If our children don’t get a deeper understanding of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ they’ll be confused.
My favourite part of this particular blog post was:
“Friends, this is the same with our Heavenly Father. Discipline takes place when we are not obeying and abiding in all aspects of our life. When we correct our behaviour and our heart, the discipline stops. Our Heavenly Father is just and merciful.”
This reminds me of the merciful Father we have in Heaven.
God wants us to succeed in life. The guidelines He has set up for our life will help us live a better life.
What’s also a great take away from your blog post is that God’s love is unconditional.
I’m grateful for this; His love for His children is not dependent on how they behave.
Those Bible verses are relevant, and your post helped me to evaluate my life.
Once again, thank you for your kind words.
I’ll share “Living in the Word – Prayer Devotional for Discipline” from my social accounts Monday, November 6.
Warmly,
Edna Davidsen
Thank you for taking the time to comment Edna. I’m glad that the post was encouraging and that you were able to have some take-a-ways. Obedience and discipline are often the hardest aspects about being a Christian because we are also selfish beings. Just as you want a healthy relationship with your son, when we have a strong and healthy relationship with God we come to understand his desires and boundaries for us. And then it becomes easier for us to abide with no need for discipline. Thank you again, Edna, for reading and commenting! God bless!
You are absolutely correct: WE are in charge of whether discipline takes place! I never thought about it that way. This realization incentivizes an effort to obey more consistently. Not that the only reason to obey God is to avoid his discipline. Surely we obey Him out of a sincere desire to please Him and as a response to His love for us. But maturing as a Christian is a process. As it is with our children, this process of obedience may begin out of a desire to avoid discipline and eventually flourish into a natural act of our own will.
Thanks for this reminder that God is patient with us and just. He is willing to love us through our life-long process of growing into “successful adults [who] glorify Him and share His message with others.”
Thank you Christy for your comments. Discipline and obedience are such a process! We have to be able to put our selfish desires aside and have a larger desire to honor God. Thank you again for reading and commenting! God bless!
WE live in a culture where disciple is automatically given a bad name. But God’s discipline is one of the most loving things we can experience. I look back on my life and praise Him for his correction. Because of it, I have grown in ways I never dreamed possible.
That is so true! In the moment it may not always feel enjoyable, but we know it is for good and then our faith journey gets so much deeper and stronger. Thank you for reading and commenting! God bless!
That’s an interesting connection. It’s amazing to me how many moments in my life as a parent help me see and understand my relationship with God better!
I completely agree! As much as I know I’m supposed to be teaching my children, I realize how much better I understand life, faith, God, and myself because of them. Thank you for reading and commenting! God bless!
Totally agree and prayer alone can help us shape us, our generations and others to following after the loving heart of God.
Amen, Ann! Thank you for reading and commenting. God bless!