God Disciplines His Children
I was scrolling through Facebook this morning when my friend, Melissa, posted something about the word “restore.” I’m loving all the stuff she’s posting lately as she’s digging into the Word and using it as a mirror for her life. I stopped to read it and this is what it said:
“The Lord brought the word Restore to my mind this morning.
Have you ever thought about the process of restoring say with a piece of furniture?
It's a process that is dirty, painful and at times lengthy. There are times when the restorer has to take it to bare bones in order to achieve its full potential.
I used to think of God restoring me as calm and peaceful but when you think about the details of the
restoration the peace and calm come when God stands back and admires his creation.”
I was immediately reminded of Hebrews 12, which if I’m honest, helped me survive my early days being discipled. There were so many things in my life that didn’t reflect him, and I felt like I was constantly “in trouble” with the Lord. Have you ever felt that way? I’m sure my d-group and spiritual family even heard me use the phrase “I got a God spankin” more than once or twice.
One day, while lamenting inwardly about how hard I thought Jesus was being on me, I stumbled into Hebrews 12 and saw the most beautiful thing I’d ever read and it was H O P E to my bones:
5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order 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.
My friend’s furniture illustration hit the nail on the head. The furniture owner restores his belongings because they’re treasured by him. If not, he’d simply toss them out. How beautiful is this picture of our creator loving us so much that he joins us in this process of sanctification? And since Scripture is so much better at saying things than I am, here’s what else I’m reminded of:
1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Peter 2:24 ESV
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Titus 3:3-7 ESV
3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Matthew 9:13 ESV
Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
If you’re in need of some restoration, lean in to Jesus and his Word. Let him cut off the dead weight (John 15:2 calls this unfruitful branches). You can trust him.
It won’t be pleasant, but it will be worth it.