Hebrews 12, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #242: REPENT & FORGIVE

MEMORY VERSE:  "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." Hebrews 12:11

NOTES: ¹ Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

 ⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,   “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, 
   and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, 
   and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”^[a]
 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but 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.
 ¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

I don't have much else to say besides that this is exactly the passage I needed to read today. 
Also, Sam Ock's rendition of "Jesus Paid It All" began to play literally the moment I started reading this passage. No joke, it was a huge tremendous wave of encouragement

ACT OF LOVE: Today was one of the most discouraging, humbling, and painful days ever. I don't really feel like going into great detail, but through a long and incredibly vocal 1.5 hour drive with my parents, almost all of my flaws were made apparent. Though it was centered around college apps, many other character faults were brought into light.  As much as I would like to complain and disagree, I know that alot of what they said about me was true, and I did indeed have much to grow in. Normally when my parents yell at me, I tend to block them out and close off to all the screaming and yelling. However, remembering the sermon I listened to earlier on Proverbs 9 (about loving instruction vs hating it), I took in everything they said and began to genuinely repent. Throughout the entire car ride I didn't talk back or lash back out at them, but instead listened with an open heart. Also, I forgave them of any false accusations they made about me in their anger. (Colossians 3:13). 

Even though I'm still kind of sad, I'm thankful because today is a day that I really felt God's discipline. There was a point where I felt completely helpless and trapped (emphasized by the fact that I was in a locked car with two angry parentals), and I remember just praying to God in desperation for strength & hope. By God's grace, I began to see the blessings in this experience, albeit a painful one. I'd rather have gone through this day & fixed my sin than live on with this hidden flaw until it snowballs into something worse.