As parents, we love our children, and we recognize that love
also includes chastening or disciplining them as well. If you recall being a
child, at that time it was difficult to associate chastening with love. The two
didn’t seem to go together. I don’t know about you, but I was usually angry
after being chastened. Love was the farthest thought from my mind.
Because God loves His children, we will continue to experience times of
chastening/disciplining. But how are we responding today? Hopefully we
respond with repentance and gain understanding regarding God’s love and
mercy, as well as the wisdom that He imparts to us as we yield to His
correction and change.
Recently, I had an experience that testifies of the Lord’s love through
chastening. On a day off from work, I went out for lunch with some friends and
had a great time. Afterwards, my friends wanted to go shopping. I felt that I
should go home after lunch because there were many things that I needed to do.
Instead of going home as I knew I should, I went along with my friends.
Later that evening when I reached home, I found there was even more to do
than I thought. Since I was in urgent need of groceries, I made that my
priority. After eating a not a meal, but a bit of food, I dashed out to go food
shopping. There was still writing and research to do, bills to pay, laundry
waiting to be done, house cleaning to do, but those would have to wait for
another day. There was one last thing, I needed to do which should have been
first. I should have yielded to the instinct I had to go home, not
shopping.
Physically, I overdid it! Soon, my head began to throb. Eventually
the throbbing took over my body. My heart rate increased to a scary point. The
pain in my head was intense. If only I had been wise and come home after lunch.
I wouldn’t have tasted a huge slice of infirmity. Not only was I ill that night,
I had to cancel my plan to attend an event the next day. I believe that I was
feeling God’s love, or shall I say His chastening.
Hebrews 12: 5-6 reminds us, “And you have forgotten the exhortation which
speaks to you as to sons; DESPISE NOT the chastening of the Lord, nor be
discouraged when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord LOVES, He
chastens, and scourges EVERY son whom He receives.”
The scripture goes on in verse seven to say “IF you endure
chastening, God deals with you as with sons…,,”. Notice that word IF.
Enduring chastening correctly is a choice. The rewards of doing so are
awesome. Verse ten tells us that we profit by becoming partakers of God’s
holiness through chastening. Although we may not be joyful as we endure,
afterwards, we receive the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Since we are pressing toward the mark and none of us have arrived yet,
we all will experience times of chastening/disciplining. When we feel
that nudge, that reminds us that we went the wrong way, causing our
lives to be temporarily painfully out of balance with the abundant lives
God has for us, don’t be discouraged. Remember that because
you belong to God, in His chastening love, you’re profiting.
You’re partaking of God’s holiness and the peaceable fruit of
righteousness. In fact, you’re beginning to look more like your
Heavenly Father.
liveinonpurpose 