It is not easy to do the correct thing for another’s good.  Parents know this when dealing with their children.

Sometimes, parents know a child will be sad and sorrowful when disciplined.  Giving discipline is not pleasant or easy.  Discipline does not need to be harshly given.  Discipline is to be given with love as the motive

1-Loving discipline establishes generous boundaries.
2-Loving discipline is given promptly when the boundaries are crossed.
3-Loving discipline is to lead to repentance and changed actions and choices.

God does that for us, doesn’t He?  His discipline leads us to repentance.  God’s discipline leads us to repentance and ultimately salvation.

We are to be teachable and receive God’s loving discipline throughout our lives.  Parents are modeling that kind of response to God’s discipline as they lovingly discipline their children.

God used Paul in “Doing the hard thing…according to the will of God.”
Paul wrote a letter of discipline to the church in Corinth and then he followed up with a second letter.  This is the letter we are reading today in this devotional.

(NASB) 2 Corinthians 7:8-13 “For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it–for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while–
9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong!  In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.
12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the offender nor for the sake of the one offended, but that your earnestness on our behalf might be made known to you in the sight of God.
13 For this reason we have been comforted.”

~ Take it to heart ~

  Discipline; godly, loving discipline is doing the hard thing for the will of God; for the protection of the one being disciplined; for growth and maturity.

  When anyone is disciplined with godly love; and as a result of discipline, changed choices and actions follow.  Then blessings follow!