When we humble our self under God’s mighty hand, He lifts us up in His timing and way. It may not be as soon as we would like, or in the way that we want, but He is faithful to care for us. We can shift all our cares and worries to His capable shoulders.
God protects us from spiritual warfare as we trust solely in Him and submit to His precepts (1 Peter 5:6-8). The Lord also treats us like His children, and He graciously and lovingly disciplines us when we stray from His straight and narrow road of protection (Hebrews 12:6-11; Matthew 7:13-14).
We can get angry with His correction and turn away from Him, or we can embrace His rebuke, and not lose faith in His faithfulness. He only reprimands those that He truly loves – those whom He considers as His own children. If we willfully sin and God does not correct us, then we know that we are not His true son or daughter James 1:2, 5:11).
At one point, we were convicted of our sins, but we were never truly converted in our spirit, which is still dead in sin. Discipline may be painful at the time, but it produces holiness and peace in the soul that is trained by it (Proverbs 3:11-13; Philippians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; Romans 5:2-4, 12:12).
Today, so many adult children are rejecting their parents for disciplining them as a child, considering spankings as abusive. Yet, Biblical wisdom encourages us not to spare the rod, and we followed this counsel because we love our children and wanted to teach them self-discipline.
I used a thin paint stirring sticks for discipline, and I gave 3 to 5 swats on the outer thigh with each act of willful disobedience. Then, I would explain to my children why I spanked them and then pray with them to obey in the future, and to discipline themselves so I did not have to discipline them.
When we are the weakest, we see that we are actually our strongest, because our limitations force us to rely only on the Lord, and not on our human resources (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). We are simple branches who cannot survive on our own. Only as we stay connected to the Vine of Christ can we actually bear fruit (John 15:5).
Prayer:
Father God, help us to walk in Your Spirit and to never give up or grow weary. Teach us to identify false teachers and doctrines that attempt to draw us with lies away from Your ultimate truth. Help us to cling to our first love with You (Revelation 2:2-5). Remind us that Your discipline is not for the purpose of tormenting us, but to protect us from bigger issues that lurk around the present moment (Psalm 37:5).
You have only our best interest in mind, and You give us rest in turmoil, safety in the penetrating evils, and protection from danger that we cannot see. You guard our life now and provide us with eternal life in the future (Psalm 121:5-8). You defend us when we suffer persecution and protect us in times of trouble; therefore, we can trust You because You will never leave or abandon us (Psalm 9:7-10; Hebrews 13:5)
Thoughts for the Day:
Apart from God we can do nothing; therefore, we are wise if we spend quiet times communing with Him throughout the day and walking in His Spirit moment by moment. This allows us not to be overwhelmed by the intense trials that come our way, because we know without a shadow of a doubt that His glory will be revealed in us.
- John 15:5; 1 Peter 4:12-13
