One of the greatest mysteries around God and His children is the ways things of sorrow, pains, distress, discomfort, hardship etc., are allowed to happen to the people of God. Many believe that since God is Love those who believe in Him will have all things lovely and in an unlimited progress. But this is always not so. We often see that, the people of God pass through series of pains, hardships, loss of jobs, loss of dependable ones etc. When such happens very many Christians take it as satanic afflictions. However, several of those happenings are God’s ways of chastising His children. I personally refer to this as God’s spanks on those who love Him. In other words, it is God’s own ways of spanking His own children.
Spanking children is believed a punishment by some earthly parents. But the word “spank” could be more fitting for an action that corrects a child than punishing the child. It is usually by slapping a child with an open hand on the back or the buttock. It redirects a child’s attitude of mischievousness. It is for making a child come back to right behaviour as the parents desired of him or her. God the Almighty does exactly this, in spanking Christians as His ways of correcting them or bringing them into right behaviour that pleases God.
The writer of the book of Hebrews sees God’s discipline on the one He loves as a sign of His love for the one He is disciplining. There is no controversy in talking about God using harsh situations or disciplinary methods to bring Christians to the ways He would want Christians to be. The beloved, this devotional will be released in series to open our minds to know that certain things which happen to us are for our good and are directed by God. The devotional intends to let Christians know that until we look into certain things happening to us Spiritually and critically, we will miss the lessons God intends us to know from what we are passing through.
I will not know what any of you reading this devotional, and a Christian, have experienced which is against your good expectations from God. You have to know that God loves you. He allows the experience to make you better than who you have been. Hear the Bible: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and punishes every everyone He accepts as a son” (Heb. 12: 5 – 6 NIV). And another says: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3: 11 – 12 ESV). Be a better Christian by always inquiring from God, why He chooses to allow you spanked in whatever comes on your ways.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Father, open my eyes to see why I am passing through this hard time in the name of Jesus.
2. Give me the courage to bear whatever chastisement that comes to me through you in Jesus name.
3. Father, I receive spiritual insight from you today which will reveal to me why I am passing through a particular situation in Jesus name.
Statement of confession:
God’s discipline on my side is for my good. I am His favourite one.
bishopubaudenyi@hopealivechurch