Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Hebrews 12:12,13 (NIV)

The verses leading up to this are speaking about the reality that God disciplines His sons. We usually don’t like to think about that. We prefer, rather, to think of our Heavenly Father as wrapping His arms around us in love, blessing us, uplifting us. And yet, His Word tells us that He disciplines those He loves.

You may have wondered what in the world is going on in our nation and the earth right now. It’s hard to completely figure out or understand, isn’t it? We’ve considered whether or not it is end time events, or judgment; and it may be both.

Regardless of the ultimate explanations that only eternity may reveal, have you thought about the opportunity to strengthen your “feeble arms and weak knees” spiritually today?

Many of us find ourselves quite upset about the turn of events in our world, but we would benefit by considering what God’s Word says to us in Hebrews 12:3-4, “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten the word of encouragement that addresses you as sons.”

Verse seven tells us to, “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?” Chapter twelve goes on to teach us that God’s discipline is for our good. It strengthens us spiritually “that we may share in His holiness”.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

As Christians, many of us have not had to flex our spiritual muscles for a long time. We have ridden the wave of complacency and comfort. We all know what happens to our physical bodies under those circumstances—they get weak!

God loves us and desires for us to be strong. He doesn’t want us to be “disabled” Christians.

We are given instruction in Proverbs 4:25-27 that will serve us well in such a time as this, “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

May God bless you as you allow yourself to benefit from the opportunity in today’s world to “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” in order to stand strong and impact the world for Christ.