Does it seem like the Lord is being cruel to you when you are suffering? Do you wonder why He is allowing what He has into your life? I've been there. But take a look at this verse. If we are not chastened, then we are not loved by God.
God gives us correction, and many times it is "reality discipline" because He is our loving Father and he does it for our own good. Reality discipline is a term coined by Keven Lehman, a Christian psychologist. Reality discipline is when a parent just lets their child learn from the hard knocks of life. He lets the child experience the natural consequences of his behavior. A parent does this so that the child will learn from his mistakes. When they must feel the sting of the consequences, then they are ready to listen to our correction.
God deals with us as His children and He allows us to suffer sometimes in order to teach and train us to trust His judgment over our own and to bring us to maturity and holiness. Consider the verses below:
Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Are you experiencing God's correction in some area of your life? If so, then rejoice. You are one of His children! If not, maybe you need to take stock of your relationship with Him. Are you really one of His children? There are only two kinds of people in the world: Those who are God's children and those who are the children of the Devil.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Which one is your father?
1 comment:
I have repeatedly noticed that some of the most sincere and godly people have struggled with health issues, sometimes all their lives. I had a really sweet aunt who died of cancer after a painful fight with illness. Some of us thought, "Of ALL our relatives, why her?" And I read the story of Gladys Aylward (famous Chinese missionary) recently. With all that she did for the Lord, why did she struggle with debilitating headaches at the end of her life? Another woman I know wrote a series of devotionals for the glory of God that were commonly used for Sunday School for many years. She wrote them while paralyzed with the limited use of one hand. And Paul with his thorns. And then there is you . . . and me.
I love at the end where you say, "Experiencing correction? Rejoice. You are one of God's children." Very encouraging!!
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