Are You Serious?

Read Hebrews 12:4-11

How happy is the one whom God reproves; therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
-Job 5:17 (NRSV)

AS a young child, I understood discipline to be a bad word. Changing my perspective has been a challenge.

I was brought up in a Christian home, but I was 30 years old and facing a crisis before I sought to live a Christian life. I began to read about the Christian disciplines of prayer, worship, study, and meditation. Those sounded OK. When I read that fasting, solitude, simplicity, submission, and confession were supposed to bring me joy, I thought, Are you kidding me?

But over time God has patiently taught me that all these practices bring me closer to my Creator and strengthen my spirit. They help me to be attuned to God's voice and to know God's will for me. They help me to drown out the world's noise so I can hear God's "still small voice" (1 Kings 19:12, KJV). And, yes, they have brought me joy as I seek to travel along God's path. I have learned that in love God teaches us and strengthens us so that we may do God's work.

Now, when I am tempted to be lazy about practicing the disciplines or when I realize that I have been neglecting God, I ask myself, "Are you serious about knowing God better?" I want to be.

by Susan King (Texas, USA)