A Harvest Worth Waiting For

OK, today I was just reading through part of the book of Hebrews, minding my own business, when out of nowhere this passage hits me in the face. “Endure hardship as discipline” (Hebrews 12:7). I’ve seen that verse before and it left me alone but today, for some reason, I get slapped in the face. I probably should have seen it coming. The whole hardship thing has been a very present reality for me lately. “Endure hardship as discipline”.

Well first of all, it rubs me the wrong way that I have to “endure” hardship. “Endure” sounds to me like it’s going to last for awhile and be rather unpleasant. I can “put up with” something but to “endure” sounds like I better hunker down ‘cause it’s going to be a long and bumpy ride. I would much rather put up with hardship than endure it.

Secondly, why do I have to endure it as discipline? Discipline sounds like either punishment or a really painful exercise routine. Neither of which I am very fond of. But there it is: “Endure hardship as discipline.” It does offer some comfort to read on (it’s usually dangerous not to). “God is treating you as sons.” Knowing that God is responding to me as a dearly loved child helps me understand that He is not random or haphazard in how He treats me. He is not treating me as a stranger. He loves me as a son. Discipline then is not some kind of punishment or painful exercise, it is a form of guidance. It is a way that God takes us from one place to a better place. “God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness” (v. 10). And this process of discipline produces in us “a harvest of righteousness and peace” (v.11).

Now, harvest is a word I can enjoy. Unlike 'endure' and 'hardship' and 'discipline' the word 'harvest' sets well with me. It is full of hope and fulfillment and satisfaction. Harvest is often used in Scripture to speak of joy. But harvest comes as the result of a lot of hard work, sometimes even pain and heartache. When I pick up an ear of corn and eat it I just think about how good it tastes. When a farmer picks up an ear of corn his thoughts go back, sometimes years, to the process of preparing the land, planting the seed, watering the field, picking the ears, getting them to market. I don’t think of those things because I haven’t participated in the whole ‘discipline’ process of getting to harvest.

I wonder if a farmer enjoys eating corn more than I do. I’ll have to ask one someday. I do know that when my harvest of righteousness and peace comes there is no one who is going to enjoy it more than me. In the meantime, I guess I’ll just have to learn how to enjoy words like ‘endure’ and ‘hardship’ and ‘discipline’, because that’s the only way to get to the good stuff!