Discipline Is Not Punishment, It Is Training

721 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:16 “And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, "It is enough; now restrain your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” (2 Sam 24:16) “It is enough.” Three words from God the Father that we all long to hear when we are being disciplined. It's like a parent who says, I am going to give you 10 spanks on the butt, but stops short of that mark, saying, “It is enough” Only the Father can utter them for He alone knows when we've had enough. Only He knows when the trial, the tribulation, the discipline, has accomplished its purpose. And only an omnipotent God can restrain the hand that brings trial and tribulation, and discipline. A couple of things we can be sure of. First of all, just living in the world will cause us to bump into sin and it's effects of trial and tribulation. Jesus said in Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Secondly, as children of God, we will experience discipline. The NIV puts it this way in Heb 12:7 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? The word “discipline” here in the Greek means, “tutorage, education, or training.” So, let's remember this about discipline! Discipline is not punishment, it is training! Training that sometimes comes by way of affirming right behavior or correcting wrong behavior. No matter the form of trial, no matter the length of the trial remember as David did, that we have a merciful heavenly Father who knows when “it is enough.” Trust that and believe that as you cast your cares upon Him believing that He cares for you (1 Pet 5:7)