God's discipline is meant to help improve our lives

"God disciplines those he loves."

- Proverbs 3:12 (NIV)

With school days starting again, I reflect back to how difficult it could be getting my children and myself back into the routine after a more relaxed summer schedule.

When it was time to get the kids off to bed I'd oftentimes hear, "I'm not tired."

I'd explain as any loving mother would, "You guys have school tomorrow and need your sleep." Although they didn't agree, I knew if I allowed my boys to stay up as long as they desired, they would be tired at school and their performance would suffer.

With reluctant groans, they went to bed. However, once everyone was nestled comfortably under the covers, it wasn't long before their eyes were closed and they were sound asleep. The next morning, when the alarm clock signaled it was time to rise, I went to the bedrooms to awaken them. It warmed my heart as I watched each one stretch and yawn, refreshed from a good night's sleep.

Many people misuse the word discipline and think it means to punish. But Webster's dictionary definition describes it as: "Training that corrects, molds, or perfects ..." In the Bible, the 12 men who were taught by Jesus were called disciples because they were being disciplined in the ways of God.

Discipline is meant to bring correction and improve us. Most of us understand that when we diet, we discipline or control our eating habits to improve our health. We also filter what we say in each conversation as a form of communication discipline.

Discipline is applied when we go to work, clean our houses, budget our money, etc. As parents, we even have to discipline ourselves so we can discipline our children to do what is right.

God's design for discipline is to provide correction that helps us improve our lives. But sometimes, like children, we wonder why God is holding back from us and don't realize he may be trying to get us to change our ways.

When we don't see the answers we are looking for, we might try reflecting where we may need to apply some discipline and trust, like a loving parent, God is leading us to a healthier lifestyle.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She can be contacted at annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.