Hebrews 12:11
All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
I wrote about this verse earlier. I wanted to further comment on the ending. Discipline does many positive things. One of which is to produce righteousness. This is to be in a right relationship. This is not to be confused with being justified. This is when Christ paid the penalty of our sin by His death. Yes, His death did make us righteous, but in the legal sense. He made us innocent. This passage is referring to the literal working out of righteousness. For example, two warring parties may agree to forgive each other. However, things aren’t warm between them. They aren’t interacting daily. They aren’t in the habit of relying on each other. This type of righteousness speaks of making things right on a personal, practical level. Discipline does this. Dual survival is a tv show in which two experts in the outdoors are left in a remote part of a foreign land. They have to rely on each other’s skills and ideas to get out of there. At times, things are treacherous. So also, we reach levels of desperation. We do our best. We look to the scriptures and friends for wisdom. We pray. All of this forges intimacy with God. We learn that He is trustworthy and always brings us through. As we look back, we learn that He had a different plan. The description in this passage is that righteousness is peaceful. When one is right with God, there is peace. As one walks with God through the years, trials don’t produce the shock they once had. We learn that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Cor 10:13). Trials also produce right relationships with those around us. We learn to patient with each other; more forgiving, etc.. The friction that the trials produce is meant to deepen our friendships. As we rely on God’s ways, they will.
Lord, thank You for Your wonderful ways. Thank You for investing in our lives and working all for the good.