December 5

For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives. — Heb 12:6 BSB

Doesn’t James say, “Blessed is the one who endures temptation”? And again, “Count it all joy when you face various trials”? Why? Is there joy in trials or pleasure in sorrow? No, not in themselves. But there is joy in the Lord’s deliverance, in His power bringing the soul out of the trials. That’s why we walk through dark paths—to make the light even more precious to us. We endure trials so that we can taste the sweetness of the promises when they are applied with power. We endure temptations so we can enjoy the sweetness of deliverance. This is how God deals with His people.

Is your conscience honest? Does it speak the truth to you? What does it say? Doesn’t it tell you, “Few trials, few comforts; few sorrows, few joys; few difficulties, few testimonies from God; few sufferings, few discoveries of love and grace”? Doesn’t the Apostle say, “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also our comfort abounds through Christ”? (2 Corinthians 1:5). And doesn’t he say, “We are confident that as you share in the sufferings, you will also share in the comfort”?

And doesn’t Scripture remind us not to forget what the Lord says when He speaks to His people, that a child of God must endure discipline? He says, “My son, don’t despise the Lord’s discipline or be discouraged when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son He receives. If you endure discipline, God deals with you as sons. For what son is there that a father doesn’t discipline? But if you are without discipline,” (a serious and solemn word, and sadly so applicable to many!) “then you are illegitimate, not true sons.”