Title: Stop Your Whining!/ Topic: Character Development

Today's Reading: Hebrews 12; Hebrews 13; Jude 1

Scripture: Hebrews 12:4-11
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Observation/Application: I tend to whine and complain to God when I feel I am undergoing undeserved trials. But Jesus, who I am supposed to be patterning my life after, shed his own blood to defeat sin, and he certainly bore that undeserved suffering with grace! So I need to stop my whining when others treat me poorly and use those hardships as lessons to develop the same grace that Jesus had. Paul tells me to endure hardship as discipline. He also says that these words are words of encouragement. I can think of better ways to be encouraged! But with every hardship I endure, I do have an opportunity to practice grace, forgiveness, self-control (in not speaking poorly to others of those who hurt me), love, patience, and all the other fruits of the Spirit. I have had lots of opportunity to get this right and haven't had the greatest track record. But God, in his grace, keeps giving me more opportunities. In fact, I know that it is true that hardship and suffering test and reveal our character more than anything else. It's easy to have a great attitude when things are going well. It's when life isn't going well that we can see what we truly are made of.

Prayer: Father, I repent of not dealing with hardship, especially ingratitude and disrespect from those I love, with the grace that you would display. May I be one who is known for being kind, respectful and gracious even to those who treat me wrongly. I want to be just like Jesus, who forgave those who were crucifying him. I have never had to go that far in showing grace, but I would want to be able to if called upon to do so. Make me like you Lord. I thank you for the grace you have shown me.
This I pray in Jesus' name, Amen.