Discipline: Acne Medication?

I wrote this post about a month ago and have finally finished it.

Discipline is something that has gained a negative meaning to most. When I hear the word discipline I think of the countless timeouts, spankings and groundings I went through as a kid, punishments which I grew to hate.

My parents would always say "We are disciplining you!" so I associated the consequence with the discipline and thus despised the word. I always saw punishment as a release of their anger. It felt like their spankings were full of contempt, it felt like it pleased them to see things taken away from me, it felt like the accusations and hurtful words were said before they thought about the damage they would do.

I viewed discipline as a weapon used by my parents to get what they wanted..in other words control! but control is very different than discipline and I think that the two words get mixed up.

What is discipline? It is correction! and to correct means to make right. When we do something wrong it feels good once its made right again. If its just left untouched then it begins to fester like a painful pimple. If its dealt with the wrong way, like popping a pimple (beg to differ with me but I think that putting medication on it is much better) then more of these problems or pimples will pop up (ouch!).

Humans are imperfect, sinful beings, so the discipline that they enforce is also imperfect sometimes. However this does not mean that we should disobey them or go against their authority.

As I was flipping through my bible today I came across a passage that talks about God's discipline.

What is God's discipline? It is loving correction.

Hebrews 12: 5-6 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

He disciplines us to only lead us back to the right path..and on that path there is freedom!

By allowing him to discipline us it gives us freedom!

Ever heard the quote
"Some people think that freedom is the opposite of discipline, I would say that it's the result."

God is FREEDOM. You want that? Submit to his discipline first- however hard it will be. He will never give you more than you can handle. Be humble and praise him in all circumstances.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

1Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time."

Tess-tify ;)