“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” – Hebrews 12:11
If you’re a blood-bought believer in Jesus Christ, adopted by God the Father, then you’ll never again experience God’s righteous anger. God will never condemn you or punish you. Jesus took all the condemnation and punishment you deserve on Himself on the cross. There is nothing left for you!
However, you may experience God’s discipline, which is certainly uncomfortable but considerably different than punishment. When a follower of Jesus sins without repenting, God often places hardships in his or her life to get their attention and bring them to repentance. When we become unserious in our efforts to grow spiritually, God may let us experience ongoing dissatisfaction with whatever’s getting our energy and attention. He may cause things to fail that we’re putting our time and energy into rather than our relationship with Him. Solid plans won’t work out. Things that should go well don’t. The things we value most leave us feeling cold and empty. That’s the Lord’s discipline.
What’s important to understand about God’s discipline is that it’s rooted in His love for you. He’s giving you frustration and dissatisfaction so you’ll snap out of your spiritual stupor, repent of any sins, and renew your eagerness to draw near to Him. Discipline is ultimately for your blessing. It’s uncomfortable in the moment but ends once you’re back on the path toward the deepest and most fulfilling blessings of your earthly life. Discipline, once it has been responded to, helps you grow and become more like Jesus. That’s the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” this verse mentions – your transformation to become like Jesus.
Many Christians get confused about God’s punishment (for sinful unbelievers) vs. God’s discipline (for His beloved children who wander off the right path). If Jesus is your Lord, God isn’t punishing you when things are going badly. But He may be using discipline to get your attention and guide you into even better blessings in Christ. #FollowJesus