“If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?” – Hebrews 12:7

Scripture reading: Hebrews 12:1-17

The Hebrew Christians were experiencing suffering. They were discouraged and ready to give up (cf. 12:3,12). Why? They had lost sight of Jesus! They had lost sight of His sufferings. Hebrews 5 showed us that, although Jesus was God’s Son, yet, He learned obedience by all He suffered. He learned to submit to His heavenly Father through suffering.

Here in chapter 12, the writer to the Hebrews makes it clear that to those who belong to Christ, those who are loved by the Father, will also suffer. They must endure Fatherly discipline, like Jesus. Actually, if that is absent in our lives, you have a good reason to fear that you are a bastard, more like Esau (cf. vs. 8,16), who only lived for his own lusts and desires. No, God deals differently with sons and daughters who are loved.

Their chastisement is no punishment, like Christ’s. It is because they are disciplined and trained to be the image of Christ. God does that because He loves you, dear believer! Realize His wonderful purposes with your suffering: He wants you to submit (vs. 9), to be holy (vs. 10), to have peace and to walk in righteousness (vs. 11).

That’s why God chastens us, why He calls us to suffer and why He brings us through rigorous training. Let’s not be discouraged, but look to Christ (vs.1-2). Don’t forget; Christ suffered as a Son, so will we. Christ learned obedience through suffering, so must we.

Suggestions for prayer

Thank God that Jesus shows us a better way to suffer, namely, to suffer to be conformed to His image. Pray that you will never forget the loving purposes of your heavenly Father when you suffer.

Rev. Pieter van der Hoek has been serving the Heritage Reformed Church of Hull, Iowa, since July 2023. Prior to that he served the Heritage Reformed Church of Burgessville, Ontario. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.