Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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MATURED YOUTHHOOD
Hebrews 12:1-11
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. (Hebrews 12:11)

Living in this world, we are facing many challenges, whether we are at the school or at the workplace. We are going to face challenges that will test our character and how we are to present ourselves as Christians.
Choices leading to poor outcome: It is a great challenge because of the pressures of the society in where we dwell in. We will often forget our focus and rather make choices that may end up in poor outcomes because we always want to fit in with the people around us. Often in this world, when there are challenges and hardships, the best decision at that moment is to find the easy way out. Unfortunately quite often, the easy way out will not allow us to become stronger or grow in discipline. Another point we need to understand is that the easy way out from a challenge may often progress to greater hardships for the future. We may tend to make things more complicated than it should be.

Focus our eyes unto the Lord: That is why in today’s meditation, we see that as Christians, we need to set a focus in order to keep our goals to overcome challenges, to overcome hardships and to overcome the sins that are hindering our lives. We need to set our eyes unto the Lord. Have God become the ultimate destination in all that we do. The choices we make in this world, we need to focus them as Christ being the center.

What Jesus had set His focus for on was a road where He knew that there was no easy way. He kept His eyes unto His Father and went on, understanding the hardships and knowing the outcome as the goal that He wanted to accomplish, redeeming humankind. In the same way, through the challenges we face, we need to see how we can best reach our goal and endure the struggles by looking unto God.

I remember the testimonies of many of the elders in our community. The hardships they had to struggle with and how those hardships have helped progress their maturity and guide their faith proven through their accomplishment that their eyes were set on God. Therefore, we need to take discipline positively and understand that it will guide us to be molded in all that He wants us to be.

“The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter”- Anonymous

Prayer: Father, thank you for loving me as Your child. Thank you for the discipline to help guide me for the better. Help me not turn away from Thy discipline, but understand how the hardships I face can guide me to become more committed for Your work. Amen.

Jess M. George, Chicago





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