Discipline

Endure your trials as “discipline”; God treats you as his sons. For what “son” is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.
Hebrews 12:7,11

Reflection:
Nobody wants to endure trials, yet we are given them to keep us on the right path. We go through life complaining about our woes, never once offering them to God.

We all endure some form of hardship and trial to come away from it a little bit smarter. As in the Gospel reading today, we are disciplined. God teaches us and refines us when we go through trials.

I tend to think about the saying that goes something like this, "it could make you or break you," and for some it does and doesn't. How we stand up to the many tests in life we are given purifies us along the way. We suffer trials and many find their faith strengthened and many loose it too.

How many can say that their trials have brought them the fruit of peaceful righteousness and understand that they have been trained by God's discipline? I know I can! Because I have endured much and changed much along the way, and in the process of that change I found a greater sense of self. I found that I want to be God's spokesperson, to bring his love to those who suffer and know not his love. To right the wrongs of the world.