But Later…

By Dean Collins

Does anyone really want to wait until later? If we are being honest with ourselves, wouldn’t we always rather have it now? If you have been around a small child lately, you know how hard it is for them to wait until later when they want something now. It might be the toy another child has or maybe the candy that has been promised after lunch. Yet, loving parents don’t give in to everything their children want just because they want it. Loving parents train or discipline their children so that they mature into healthy and productive adults. And training a child takes time. According to Hebrews 12, it seems that training an adult to be more like our Heavenly Father is also a process that takes time. We too must be disciplined (trained) if we are to become more like Jesus.

The discipline of waiting and enduring is often uncomfortable and even painful. Hebrews 12:11 says, “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 for it.” Earlier in this chapter of Hebrews, we are reminded that we are God’s children, and it is his love for us that prompts his discipline. God is not punishing us when we go through hard times and difficulty. He is training us so that we might better reflect his love to those around us.

The discipline and training that God allows is to produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness. The prophet Isaiah said that when the Spirit of God comes upon us, the wilderness becomes a fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace:

“Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”

So, putting these passages together, we realize that our loving Father, who has given us his Spirit because of our obedience in accepting Jesus as Savior, makes us God’s children. Because we are God’s children, we are in a continual process of becoming mature sons and daughters and that only happens as God continues to train us. There is no fruit except through the pruning and care of our Father, the gardener.

The author of Hebrews is not only reminding us what is normal for followers of Christ, but what is essential so that God’s love and mercy might flow through us in order for the world to see the glory of God in us and be drawn to Jesus.

So what do we do when we are going through this training process that involves some pain and suffering? Hebrews gives us some exercises to do:

“Lift you drooping hands and strengthen you weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet…” Or in other words, exercise. Because as we exercise our faith, we become stronger.

We are also to “strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

This instruction may be especially hard at times, especially when our culture is filled with so much anger and hostility. As followers of Christ, we are called to strive for peace with everyone. That includes those who have different political opinions. Sadly, it seems there are many in the family of faith that think that name calling and anger against those who think differently is an option. Scripture would suggest otherwise.

Hebrews continues with yet another exercise of discipline: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”

If we are serious about sharing the good news of Jesus so that all people obtain the grace of God, we cannot allow a root of bitterness to grow in our hearts and minds toward anyone. Anger sometimes grows in us because we see others receive what we want and believe we have earned or are entitled to. Esau was the older brother who was to receive his father’s blessing, but in a moment of weakness and fatigue, he gave up his blessing in exchange for a bowl of stew. We cannot allow anger to grow in our hearts when someone else gets something we think we deserve. God is not honored through our anger.

Our loving Father in heaven allows us to experience suffering and difficulty so that we might become mature and loving extensions of himself who show the world how Jesus has transformed us and how he can transform others. The apostle Paul said it best in Philippians 2:10: “I want to know Christ and the power of resurrection, and may share his sufferings becoming like him in his death.” When we endure our suffering now, we can be sure that we will also experience the fullness of the resurrection as our suffering bears fruit that leads others to know Jesus.

Father, thank you for loving us so much that you are willing to be involved daily in our training so that we might reflect Jesus to the world. Forgive us for complaining about our difficulties when what you are doing through our suffering is making us more like Jesus. Use us today for your glory and to express your love to another person who has yet to discover your grace and mercy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Hebrews 12:11-17; Isaiah 32:15-18; Philippians 3:10-16 ESV

Photo by Mira Kireeva on Unsplash
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