The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Saturday
January 12, 2008
To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.
Proverbs 12:1
Okay, I know we are all excited about this verse ¾ right? Who among us really loves discipline? Well, the Lord wants us to love it ¾ not so much the discipline, but the wisdom He implants into us through His discipline!
I automatically think of little Cody when I think of discipline. He hates it! Yet, according to James Dobson (Focus on the Family), discipline is the tool God uses through parents to help children feel secure. Imagine that!
Discipline is not to always be associated with punishment; although we know God does punish. However, discipline is also about structure. When we live a "structured" life we become more stable. So, when our lives become unstable, God brings discipline into our lives through whatever means He knows will get our attention.
God has disciplined me. Recently, He showed me several things in my life that I need to deal with. Oh, how I praise Him because He will not abandon me to lean on my own understanding of His ways ¾ He will actually teach me His ways as I draw close to Him through the discipline process; which sometimes includes the refiner's fire!
Father, Your ways are truly amazing. It awes me to even imagine that You want us to know You and You are willing to teach us when we draw close to You. I thank You for teaching me that when I run from Your discipline I am also running from truth! Thank You for lifting me above the level of stupid!
