Good Discipline
By Angela Mackey
Monday, June 13, 2016
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 12:1 ESV
I don’t give you consequences for no reasons,
I said to my child.
I discipline you because my goal is to help you grow into a capable, responsible adult who loves God and others well.
And God used my words to smack me in the face. It was as if He was saying,
I have a goal too, Angela. My goal is to burn the sin-lust out of your life and make you more like my Son.
And often God’s discipline feels like fire and death, but its goal is to bring life.
Just like a good parent, God is too good to leave me in my ignorance. He is too good to leave me in my sin. Instead He puts me through the refining fire to burn off the impurities in my life.
He lovingly gives me opportunities to grow fruit of His Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.
But all too often I hate reproof. I cling to my impurities. I refuse to grow fruit.
Instead of praising God that He does not leave me in my sin, I refuse to learn or grow.
Instead of trusting God’s perfect way and growing closer to Him, I get angry and resentful.
Oh, that I may learn to say with the Psalmist
...let the bones that You have broken rejoice. Psalm 51:8b ESV
God is a good, good father. He will never leave us in our foolishness. We only need to love His discipline.
Are you in a difficult time right now? Ask God to show you what He is teaching you through this time.
Are you in a good place right now? Ask God to show you what He was trying to teach you through a difficult time in the past.
Read Hebrews 12:1-11.
Father God, thank You that You never waste difficult times in our lives. Thank You that Your ways and purposes that seem painful are always for our good. Help us to accept Your discipline and not grow bitter or angry. Thank You that just like a good father You do not leave us in our foolishness, but that You are refining us to be more like Your Son. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
© 2016 by Angela Mackey. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Monday, 13 June 2016.
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