A Prayer to Receive the Father’s Discipline - Your Daily Prayer - May 16

A Prayer to Receive the Father’s Discipline
By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:
“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11, NASB).

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I have been studying parenting styles recently, and it has helped me better understand myself, how I grew up, and how I want to raise my boys. In my view, raising kids with an intentionally laissez-faire approach (“do whatever makes you happy” kind of mentality) ultimately harms them. Children need guidance from their parents, especially when they are young and don’t yet fully understand the world around them. “Free-range”-style parenting is actually quite harmful to the psyche of a child; they are children, not chickens. 

There is also a growing and popular parenting philosophy called “gentle parenting.” According to Parents.com, “Gentle parenting is a means of parenting without shame, blame, or punishment. It is centered on partnership as both parents and children have a say in this collaborative style.” It sounds reasonable, especially regarding not shaming or blaming our children when they are disobedient. But where I take issue with this approach is the lack of discipline and the failure to see the parent as the one who leads in the relationship. This approach to parenting ultimately creates a child-centered home. God designed the family so that each person has a specific role: the father, the mother, and the children. Guidance and discipline are both gifts from parents to their children. God also designed our relationship with Him and His church to have specific roles as He leads us, empowers us to walk in obedience, and disciplines us when we sin and disobey Him. 

God chastens those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). Instead of running from His discipline, perhaps it would benefit us to see this often difficult and uncomfortable reality as a blessing in our own lives when the Father chastens us. He allows consequences to touch us in the hope that it will lead us back to the path of righteousness. 

“All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11, NASB).

Even as believers, we sin and disobey God. In Christ, we are covered in His righteousness and stand forgiven, but we still must repent of our disobedience. 1 John 1 reminds us of the importance of confessing our sin:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NKJV).

Trying to hide our sin causes us to hide from God, similar to Adam and Eve when the first sin entered the world. They felt ashamed, and shame overcame them. Because of Jesus and the finished work of the cross, we are forever made righteous in our position as we stand before the Father and are forgiven; yet when we sin, it hinders our fellowship with God, and we can very easily stray from Him. The Father’s love toward me never changes when I sin, yet I may still experience consequences and correction for my disobedience. Repentance, as a believer, is for our benefit to keep fellowship with our Father open and unhindered. Sin can often make our hearts grow callous, and we may not be as sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Conviction, repentance, and discipline are all great gifts from our Father in heaven. God’s love is unconditional and perfect, and nothing can stop His pursuit of you. He wants us to be honest with Him so that we can see real transformation happen in our lives, as He conforms us into the image of His Son. Let us joyfully receive the discipline from our Father, to then yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness to be able to participate in His holiness and reflect Him to the world. 

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father,

When I sin, my first response is to hide because I feel like I have disappointed You. Help my heart to understand Your great love and mercy towards me, Your child. Christ died on the cross so that we may be given the right to be called Your children, and nothing can change that. Nothing can separate me from Your love.

Because You are a good Father, You discipline Your children so we can grow and transform into more of Your likeness. When I stray and disobey, may I be quick to repent and run to You. Help me to receive not only Your great compassion towards me but also Your correction. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Emily Massey began writing short stories and poetry as a little girl, entered the blogging world in her early 20s, and published her first book in 2015. She enjoys being a homeschooling momma of four boys, while still being able to pursue her passion as a writer. Believing she has been forgiven much, she loves much, and desires to point others to Christ and His redemptive and transforming power, especially by sharing truth found in God’s written word. If you would like to connect with Emily, you can visit www.emilyrosemassey.com.

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