Not Fainting At Reproof

Not Fainting At Reproof

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” (‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭4–6‬ NASB)

I was thinking of the tendency that my family and I have to become fainthearted or weary when we find ourselves in discipline and trials. The writer of Hebrews does not want us to become this way. He tells us that God loves those he disciplines. This is indeed encouraging. I did a word study on that word “faint,” and it is used just a handful of times in the New Testament. Three times it is used in the gospels. Two of those times it is speaking about people who were gathered around listening to Jesus’ teaching. They had been listening for a long time, had nothing to eat, and were becoming faint. The third time the word is used in the gospels, it is speaking about people who were sick, blind, demon possessed, or had other infirmities. These folks were distressed, dispirited, and faint. What is so very sweet about all of these accounts is that Jesus felt compassion over these fainthearted people and therefore either healed or fed them (Matthew 9:36, 15:32, Mark 8:3).

Hebrews informs us that discipline comes because of God’s love. Then the gospels tell us that Jesus himself is filled with compassion over the suffering and fainthearted saints. These two facts help to lift the weary saint of God. I am a son of God. He loves me and my family so much that he disciplines us so that we might run the race with endurance. Jesus is my Brother who is my example, my helper, and the one who shows compassion for every scourge we receive.

We can endure another day 😌.

Scott