God does not punish His children. Psalm 103:10 says, “He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities.”

Hebrews 12:9-10 says that our earthly fathers corrected us, as seemed best to them. The end of verse 10 is God’s strategy. It says, “…but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.”

Verse 11 in the Amplified says, “For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness–in conformity to God’s will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God).

The ‘afterwards’ reveals whether or not we were trained by His discipline. Trained means that we accepted and embraced what God was seeking to accomplish. Resisting His way causes stress that can lead to disease.

I listened to a fellow yesterday that had overcome a serious disease caused by stress. He defined his stress as unresolved issues. He had to bring his failures into the light, and forgive everyone who had hurt him. He said, “Forgiveness releases you from the prison of pain.”

Let’s go down to verse 15. It is talking about bitterness and resentment. Unforgiveness is one of the spiritual roots to disease. It says, “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”

Acts 8:23 says, “I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” Refusing to forgive sets us in a prison of our own making. Disease then eats away inside, unnoticed until it is full blown and detected. It erodes peace and joy. There is no grace for hidden sin until it is confessed.

What God allows is His discipline. We can either embrace it and receive grace to endure, or resist and be resisted by Him. James 4:6 says, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Let us examine our heart through truth, confess our hidden, and release it to Him. His grace will meet us to carry us through.