Most people feel the need for more discipline in their lives but fewer people are willing to discipline themselves. Discipline is the training that forms our character. A good parent will discipline their children with the ultimate goal of the child having self discipline. The Lord does not punish His children but He disciplines His children. In fact, He says that if you are without discipline then you are not a child.
Hebrews 12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
The Lord disciplines us for our good, that we might become more like Him.
Hebrews 12:10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
The Lord tells us not to regard lightly His discipline or faint when He reproves us.
Hebrews 12:5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;
He disciplines us because He loves us. Just as a parent takes special care to train and discipline the child whom they love.
Hebrews 12:6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.”
Discipline produces in us endurance so that we will be faithful to the end. Thank the Lord for the discipline that He gives you.
Hebrews 12:7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
However, discipline is painful. Just as some children need more discipline than other children, in the same way, if we learn to obey and do what is right then we will receive less discipline from the Lord.
Hebrews 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
The Lord exhorts us in His Word to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. The word disciple comes from the word discipline. We are to have discipline in our lives so that we will do what is right. The outcome of a disciplined life is peace.
I Timothy 4:7,8 …On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
Since discipline can be painful and it is very necessary in life. How much better it is to discipline yourself to obey the Lord and to do what is right than to be disciplined by Him, to keep you from further sorrow and shame. He has given us everything that we need to live a disciplined life.
II Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.
Is there anything in your life that you need to change or that you have been slack in? Turn to Him with all of your heart. He loves you and wants you to become like Him. He wants you to know and experience the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
Be zealous and repent so that you will not experience His discipline.
Instructions To A Young Life 