Hebrews 12:1-6
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
I spent a summer many years ago working in a brick factory. It was hot, hard, grueling work. For the first month I came home completely exhausted after my eight hour shift. But after a while something began happening. I lost a lot of weight, gained a lot of muscle, and was as physically fit as I’ve ever been in my life. All four of our sons can testify, also to the rigor and the benefit of physical training through their experience in military Basic Training! It’s never easy, seldom fun, but amazingly effective to experience such physical training.
In the case of our Christian faith we have gotten the wrong idea about ease and strength. Most of us wish to be strong in the faith as simply a matter of being endowed from on high. We have little use for any kind of spiritual Basic Training, but bemoan the fact that our faith isn’t as strong as it should be. The reality of strong faith, however, is that it is almost always tempered in the crucible of suffering, challenge, difficulty and discipline.
A Drill Instructor made it clear at one of our sons’ Basic Training graduation: “When you see me coming down the street, don’t you get all mushy on me. Don’t come up to me and tell me how glad you are for what I did for you. I am not your friend.” How unlike that Drill Sergeant is God! He does love us. And even if he brings difficulty our way, and disciplines us strongly, he does so with a kind heart hoping for our blessing and benefit by the process.
God’s call is to a race of endurance that will only be won by those who remain faithful to the end. Ours is not to be a once saved, always saved pseudo security. Our security is in Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. He has won the race for us, and calls us to follow him – through the green pastures and beside the still waters as well as through the rough and challenging mountains and dangerous passes along the way. The way has been secured. Whatever difficulty we must endure along that way will surely make us stronger.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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