Is God Disciplining You?

‘The Lord disciplines those he loves...’ Hebrews 12:6 NIV

Is God Disciplining You?

God’s correction is not rejection. His disapproval of your actions is not disapproval of you. To grow spiritually you must understand that sometimes He will discipline you. During those times you must hold firmly to the truth that He loves you, otherwise you’ll keep trying to change yourself in an attempt to earn His love. The problem with that is, you already have it, and you just don’t know it! Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38–39). So: 1) How does God discipline us? ‘Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love…I tell their faults…convict and convince…reprove and chasten…’ (Revelation 3:19 AMP). Note the words ‘I tell their faults.’ God will let you know when you’re out of line. 2) Why does God discipline us? ‘As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as He does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father and live forever? For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how, but God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in His holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful! ‘…But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way’ (Hebrews 12:7–11 NLT).