To Be Still and Know...God Corrects Those He Loves
"For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights" Proverbs 3:12
Nobody likes to be corrected. It's human nature to feel put off by someone telling you, you are wrong about something. There is just something inside us that gets riled up when we are confronted with areas of our life we need to change. It's hard to accept that we are indeed wrong at times and need correction. America today has become a land of "Do whatever makes you happy". Nowhere in God's Word does it say that we were created to do whatever makes us happy in life. Now that doesn't mean we can't be happy in life but when that happiness is doing something that goes against God's Word or when seeking happiness becomes our main focus (entertainment, recreation, gaining wealth, living well within our comfort zone, etc.) then we need to be corrected. The first thing I want you to be still and know during this post is that correction from the Lord doesn't make you feel worthless and so ashamed you feel you can't be forgiven, or like a hopeless failure. God's correction is convicting not condemning. I have had both correction from people and correction from the Lord and let me tell you first hand that usually when people feel the need to correct it is done less out of love and more out of a need to share their opinions. While correction from the Lord always comes from a place of deep unconditional love and his omnipotence about what is best for our lives. God corrects me through sermons at church and through reading His Word and attending Bible study. When he corrects me, it's a gentle but very clear conviction that this is a certain area of my life or thinking or behavior that I need to work on. I was sitting in church one Sunday several years ago and while I do not remember what the sermon was on I do remember one part of it that hit my heart like an arrow to a bulls eye. My pastor spoke about how we can judge people in our hearts, whether or not we say it out loud. WOW! I knew this was something I was guilty of. While I have tried very hard for a long time to not gossip or speak badly of others I knew that in my heart I had definitely been guilty of judging others in my heart. While we are not supposed to be accepting of sin we also are not supposed to secretly in our hearts be critical of others. I am not going to elaborate here because God will let you know which is being judgmental and which is simply not accepting sin, just like He did for me! I didn't feel like suddenly I was an awful person or that God loved me less. In fact I felt loved by the Lord, that He would care enough about me to not let me continue doing something that was harmful to my heart and soul. I also knew He forgave me and would help me change this area of my life. "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 John 1:8-9 Since then I cannot say I have completely stopped judging others in my heart but I can say that each time I fall into that sinful behavior God quickly reminds me that, that is not ok and I seek Him in how to not feel that way or think that way. God's correction is loving. God's correction is for our betterment, always! "But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin." Job 5:17 Just like the opening verse says "For the Lord corrects those He loves..." I think about my three children, ages 10, 7 and 2. I love them more than words can express. They are literally like my heart walking around outside my body and because of this love for them I correct them when needed. I want what is best for them. I don't want them to grow up into self-serving, "do whatever makes me happy" adults. I want them to develop their own personal relationships with Christ, and be kind loving people who look out of the interests of others and are living examples of God's love, forgiveness and grace. That means I have to discipline them when needed. When one of my children went through a very dishonest time period and got caught lying in school we, as loving parents, had to take disciplinary measures. There were items and privileges taken away. When things didn't improve we sought help from our childrens minister at our church. It took several months, but this child is a changed person now. This child is very honest and has a deep love for the Lord, so much so they share it with their classmates! "To learn you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." Proverbs 12:1 If you never feel any correction from the Lord and if you are living however makes you happy, you may need to ask yourself if you really have a relationship with the Lord. Only you can answer that! And maybe if you don't ever feel challenged to grow in your faith, or if you haven't felt correction from the Lord in awhile, maybe you have grown distant in your relationship with Him. Again, only something you can answer, and something that is only between you and God! I challenge you to take time to be still and examine your heart. Where is that God is gently but clearly convicting you to change? What area of your life do you need to surrender to the Lord and accept His correction in? "People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray." Proverbs 10:17
Nobody likes to be corrected. It's human nature to feel put off by someone telling you, you are wrong about something. There is just something inside us that gets riled up when we are confronted with areas of our life we need to change. It's hard to accept that we are indeed wrong at times and need correction. America today has become a land of "Do whatever makes you happy". Nowhere in God's Word does it say that we were created to do whatever makes us happy in life. Now that doesn't mean we can't be happy in life but when that happiness is doing something that goes against God's Word or when seeking happiness becomes our main focus (entertainment, recreation, gaining wealth, living well within our comfort zone, etc.) then we need to be corrected. The first thing I want you to be still and know during this post is that correction from the Lord doesn't make you feel worthless and so ashamed you feel you can't be forgiven, or like a hopeless failure. God's correction is convicting not condemning. I have had both correction from people and correction from the Lord and let me tell you first hand that usually when people feel the need to correct it is done less out of love and more out of a need to share their opinions. While correction from the Lord always comes from a place of deep unconditional love and his omnipotence about what is best for our lives. God corrects me through sermons at church and through reading His Word and attending Bible study. When he corrects me, it's a gentle but very clear conviction that this is a certain area of my life or thinking or behavior that I need to work on. I was sitting in church one Sunday several years ago and while I do not remember what the sermon was on I do remember one part of it that hit my heart like an arrow to a bulls eye. My pastor spoke about how we can judge people in our hearts, whether or not we say it out loud. WOW! I knew this was something I was guilty of. While I have tried very hard for a long time to not gossip or speak badly of others I knew that in my heart I had definitely been guilty of judging others in my heart. While we are not supposed to be accepting of sin we also are not supposed to secretly in our hearts be critical of others. I am not going to elaborate here because God will let you know which is being judgmental and which is simply not accepting sin, just like He did for me! I didn't feel like suddenly I was an awful person or that God loved me less. In fact I felt loved by the Lord, that He would care enough about me to not let me continue doing something that was harmful to my heart and soul. I also knew He forgave me and would help me change this area of my life. "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 1 John 1:8-9 Since then I cannot say I have completely stopped judging others in my heart but I can say that each time I fall into that sinful behavior God quickly reminds me that, that is not ok and I seek Him in how to not feel that way or think that way. God's correction is loving. God's correction is for our betterment, always! "But consider the joy of those corrected by God! Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty when you sin." Job 5:17 Just like the opening verse says "For the Lord corrects those He loves..." I think about my three children, ages 10, 7 and 2. I love them more than words can express. They are literally like my heart walking around outside my body and because of this love for them I correct them when needed. I want what is best for them. I don't want them to grow up into self-serving, "do whatever makes me happy" adults. I want them to develop their own personal relationships with Christ, and be kind loving people who look out of the interests of others and are living examples of God's love, forgiveness and grace. That means I have to discipline them when needed. When one of my children went through a very dishonest time period and got caught lying in school we, as loving parents, had to take disciplinary measures. There were items and privileges taken away. When things didn't improve we sought help from our childrens minister at our church. It took several months, but this child is a changed person now. This child is very honest and has a deep love for the Lord, so much so they share it with their classmates! "To learn you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." Proverbs 12:1 If you never feel any correction from the Lord and if you are living however makes you happy, you may need to ask yourself if you really have a relationship with the Lord. Only you can answer that! And maybe if you don't ever feel challenged to grow in your faith, or if you haven't felt correction from the Lord in awhile, maybe you have grown distant in your relationship with Him. Again, only something you can answer, and something that is only between you and God! I challenge you to take time to be still and examine your heart. Where is that God is gently but clearly convicting you to change? What area of your life do you need to surrender to the Lord and accept His correction in? "People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray." Proverbs 10:17
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