Hardship

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?  (Hebrews 12:7)

 

Admittedly, this is not a fun topic to write about.  If you’ve lived long enough, you have no doubt encountered hardship.  Especially in today’s economy: with homelessness, housing foreclosures, and any number of unfortunate events going on all around us.  We all seem to know someone who is facing hardship, or we have faced it ourselves.  Sometimes we look at another person’s life and see hardship – and it comes in any number of forms: emotional, physical, mental, situational.  The suffering can be from within or without, but it is still there.  No one is immune. 

 

Fortunately, for many of us, hardship gives way to better days.  After hardship, we seem to see greener grass, bluer skies, and know down deep that life is good.  But this happens on the upside of hardship. 

 

The Word tells us to endure hardship as discipline.  Hmm.  As a parent, I disciplined my children when they were out of line, or when they didn’t do what they were supposed to do.  Discipline came in the form of spanking, grounding, loss of privilege. 

 

Discipline, however, in this particular verse, I believe has to do with training imposed for the improvement of self-control, behavior, mental, physical or spiritual well being.  Discipline increases our capacities – in every realm. 

 

Athletes engage in physically challenging workouts.  To get better, they endure hardship (aches and pains from training).  The same goes in the mental realm, and spiritual realm. 

 

God may allow hardship for a time, so that you ultimately benefit.  Let’s hope so.  If we use times of hardship to steady ourselves, renew our resolve and increase our capacities, we will become people who have more to offer.  We have built capacity to endure. 

 

If you are struggling, hang in there.  Try this: change the way you look at hardship and see the discipline as a friend rather than the enemy.  Eventually, you will look back and realize you have come a long way, baby. 

 

Blessings.  Selah.