The AMI QT Devotionals for July 31-August 6 are provided by Christine Li. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, currently lives and works in New York City. She serves at Remnant Church in Manhattan.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
Pressing On in Discipline
Hebrews 12:10b-11
“God disciplines us for our good, in order 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. “
Recently my family and I took a vacation to Europe. One of our sights was an iconic basilica in Budapest, and my brother and I decided we would go to its rooftop and see the city view. We thought it would be a fun idea to take the stairs (over 300) because it would surely give us a greater sense of satisfaction when we made our way to the top. We started the ascent through a cramped, windowless stairwell, making sure not to be too slow for the sake of the people coming behind us.
As you can imagine, there were many times where we wondered (at least I did), if we had made the right choice, because the stairs became increasingly tiring and uncomfortable. When we were at the top, however, the struggle no longer mattered. The view was spectacular! All the pain of that stone Stairmaster was pushed out of our minds.
In our fast-paced society, discipline can be such a dirty word. It is slow, boring, and often painful. When you’re stuck in the middle of it, there’s no way to get a glimpse of whether the satisfaction at the end is entirely worth it. The thought of quitting may be such a satisfying temptation as well.
However, the author of Hebrews reminds us that, out of love, God desires for us to be disciplined and refined so that we may reap a harvest in the future. God is aware that much of this process may be neither fun nor easy, but He promises that the final result – a holy life aligned with Him – will be completely worth it.
God has perfect intentions and love for us. He wants to give us character that is like His so that we may worship and enjoy Him to the fullest. Let’s not avoid the discipline that God sets in our lives. In all faith, we know that our good Father is leading us towards joy. Today let’s ask Him for conviction and obedience so that He can mold our character and make us more like Him.
Prayer: Father, I confess that I am not always excited for Your refining of my life. But please make me more like You. Give me a heart that desires to be holy as You are holy; help me hang onto the promise that the harvest You envision will be more than worth this temporary hardship. Help me to come before You, readily and joyfully accepting Your perfection of all my thoughts, desires, and habits.
Bible Reading for Today: John 13-14