Trials

So first semester of my sophomore year i was in speech class, and i was doing an oral interpretive speech on hebrews 11. That means i had to memorize it all. Then last night, i opened up my bible to where chapter 11 was on the left page and chapter 12 was on the right page. So i read chapter 12, and wow. I cant believe after all the times i looked at chapter 11 and just avoided reading chapter 12. In chapter 12 of hebrews, if i had to describe it in one sentence, it would be "Endure hardship as discipline, God is treating you as his children." (Hebrews 12:7) I don't think ive wrote about my dad's death on this blog, so i will now. My fathers passing was difficult at first, but it really made me come to God and rely on Him rather than on my own strength, because i knew i wasn't strong enough to stand on my own strength. Putting this in perspective to the quoted statement above, i dont think God was disciplining me for something i had done or anything like that, but because He knew i could handle it and i would become a better person out of it and that my faith and relationship with Him would grow tremendously in the following years as a result. This verse is also out of hebrews 12, "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." This verse is so true, because it wasnt pleasant at the time. But later on it made me come closer to God because i learned from that experience, and that i have become a servant of Christ and i want to live my life for Him. Also, recently, ive been thinking, "what would it be like if my dad was still alive now?" Then i realize the foolishness of that statement because i wouldnt be the same kid now if he was still alive, id be way different and i have no clue what my walk with the Lord would look like. Don't get me wrong, i miss my dad a lot, but i know that i will see him again one day. And i have come closer to my heavenly Father, and that has been amazing! And is still amazing! So, to bring this blog full circle, i realize now why the Lord never revealed chapter 12 until now. Not because my mind wasnt ready, but because i dont think i would have fully realized any of that until now. I hope this is an encouragement to any who reads this to use their hardships as discipline and that they can learn from them and become a better person and become stronger in their walk with God.