1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us
2 while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
3 Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
5 You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: "My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him;
6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges."
7 Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
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The Lord does in fact discipline his children. I prefer to think of this as preparation for something down the road, rather than think of this as punishment for things done wrong. I don’t know if this thinking is theologically sound, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
After taking a dose of humility at the fact that I need to be disciplined, I do find a lot of comfort in this passage.
When you look up and wonder why something bad is happening (or why "bad things happen to good people"), this is an answer. I’m often been able to see the hand of God in my trials AFTER the fact, but only a couple of times have I recognized God’s discipline in real time. When that has happened, the process of enduring is much easier. I think the more we can get to this line of thinking, the more mature we become spiritually. It’s a solid Christian that can thank God for whacking him upside the head with a baseball bat.
