Our Response To Chastisement is Critical

Let's finish our look at chastisement by focusing on our all important response.

Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?

If we respected our earthly fathers for disciplining us, how much more should we reverence God who disciplines us? How desperately should we be in subjection, not in rebellion, and submit to the discipline of God. If we are honest, much of the church is too busy complaining about hard circumstances and accusing the devil, instead of seeking to submit to the hardship that may be from God. Did Joseph spend his time binding the "spirit" of imprisonment and false accusation, or did he spend his time submitting to God and serving God? Joseph was truly suffering unjustly but still he submitted. God knows that apart from discipline, many will not truly learn obedience.

How sadly lacking many Christians are in discipline. So little consistency, so little commitment. Could it be that we just don’t submit under God’s correction? Why can someone spend so much time in the church and never grow? Does the person always have some kind of a problem--someone or thing they are always blaming? Do we ever stop and reflect a moment that this trial, or this difficult person might have been sent by God to correct us in our attitudes and character? Where is the character of the church? Where is the meekness, the humility, the mutual subjection. Too often we have a collection of individuals with their own agendas. This will not do!


THE FRUIT OF CHASTISEMENT
Heb 12:10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

When you are faced with God’s discipline, there is nothing wrong with sorrow. Mostly, it is not pleasant to be corrected or rebuked. However God is looking to the future. He is looking for holiness!- a "righteousness harvest"! The New Living translation puts it this way:

But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

God is looking for a harvest of right living! A quiet harvest! Quiet as in, not complaining, not fretting , not rebelling, meekness, humility, diligence and perseverance.

This is God’s greatest work. Every hard circumstance is an opportunity for God to change you. We ask God: “Oh change me, change me” Then he brings a trial or discipline, and we fail to discern the answer to our prayers!

To live an easy life is not really a good thing, because those who never have discipline in their lives, get soft, get careless and corrupt.

Heb 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 "Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

When we are being disciplined, our tendency is to have weak knees and droopy limbs. If we have the peace of God that comes from submission to his discipline, then we can lift up our hands and strengthen the knees because the fruit of righteousness is being built into us. Don’t look for righteousness, but for peace, tenderness before God, and submission.

If you humble yourself under the mighty discipline of God, not only will the holy character of God be built in you, but also you will be able to lead others to walk uprightly. If we let subjection, and quietness and peace work in us, our path will be straight. We also will have a profound effect on others. Others will walk in the same path that we walked and will receive the same benefits.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD
1 Peter 1:17 Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.

Recognizing and submitting to the Lord’s discipline has another powerful fruit: It teaches us the awesome fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord is something sadly lacking nowadays in these times of easy “bless me” Christianity. The healthy fear of the Lord, is also a healthy fear of chastisement.

We need to continue to cultivate discernment about what it is we go through. Is it the devil, is it a trial or is God disciplining me for my own iniquities? Let us understand how God will lay his hand of correction on us. Let this develop faith that he means to improve us, and a healthy fear of coming under His correction.