After looking at rewards for obedience, Solomon turns to discipline for disobedience. This devotion looks at what our attitude should be when God send discipline in the form of trials our way.
Nuggets
- We aren’t supposed to despise it when God corrects us.
- Because God is using the corrections to grow us, we shouldn’t be overwhelmed by them.
- God discipline us because He love us.
No one likes the trials that God sends us. Sometimes, these trials are sent to discipline us.
They are not fun, but they are needed to help us grow to imitate God.
Let's Put It into Context
“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest; then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Prov. 3: 9-10 CSB)
Solomon had just given ten verses on how God rewards faithfulness. One of the verses we said looked like it could be the poster child for the prosperity gospel.
The rest of the verses focus on remembering not only God’s laws and commandments, but also his love for us. Out goal is to strengthen our relationship with Him so that He will completely fill and overflow us by making us godly, holy, and righteous.
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Then Solomon did a quick turnaround in verses 11 and 12. We go from rewards to discipline in the form of trials.
But think about it. Solomon told us that we would be rewarded for obedience. He was now telling us that disobedience would be disciplined. Doesn’t that follow?
Not Liking Discipline
“Do not despise the Lord’s instruction, my son, and do not loathe his discipline” (Prov. 3: 11 CSB)
We aren’t supposed to despise it when God corrects us.
Seriously? But that will hurt, won’t it? We don’t like to hurt.
Also, we don’t like having our decisions questioned, at a minimum, or being told we are downright wrong, at a maximum. We like having control of our own lives.
Those disciplines usually come in the form of trials. The opposite of despising the trials is peacefulness. That is what we want, instead.
Spencer contended that this passage has practical wisdom for disciples on their walks. He wrote, “It has reference to those dealings of God with men which have a stern and severe aspect, which are in themselves painful and unwelcome, and under which the human soul cannot well be satisfied or sustained aside from the two considerations, first, that they are the appointments of God, and second, that they are designed to be instrumental of our good.”
One of Spencer’s advice was to view most trials as disciplinary actions from God. We know God does correct us when we sin. “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (Heb. 12: 6 NLT). Bryce seems to agree with that opinion, as he wrote that life in part is disciplinary.
Yes, God uses trials to discipline us, and they do closely follow when we have sinned. No, He doesn’t especially like it, but He does it.
But not all trials are discipline. Remember when Jesus addressed this? The disciples were asking why a man was blind. “‘It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,’ Jesus answered. ‘This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.’” (Jn. 9: 3 NLT). Some trials are God testing us.
Whether it is discipline or tempting, the reason is still the same. God is trying to get us to change our character to be more like His.
Johnson wrote that God is trying to purify us from evil. Evil is equated with sin because it is that which goes against God and His purposes.
Because God is using the corrections to grow us, we shouldn’t be overwhelmed by them. We like to hold onto what Paul said. “… And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand” (I Cor. 1o: 13 NLT).
We have a tendency to forget about the last part of the verse. “… When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (I Cor. 1o: 13 NLT). We may not be able to handle the trial on our own, but God will give us the ability to handle it.
One aspect of any trial is its capacity to increase our endurance. The rough patches in our walk come up, but we keep putting one foot in front of the other. And we navigate them patiently and watching for God in all we go through.
We get stronger as we endure the trials because God is giving us strength. “I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3: 16-19 CSB).
God doesn’t want to destroy us. “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Exek. 33: 11 ESV). Non-believers are identified in Scriptures by the terms wicked, dead, cursed, and evil.
Bryce also made the comment that, if we were not disciplined, we would not know the purpose for our lives. We were created to worship God. A component of that is imitating Him — changing our character to be more like Him.
Clarkson warns us about thinking trials are accidental. I would add to this that we not only think trials just happen, but we also sometimes refuse to believe they come from God. This decreases our subordination to Him.
Oh, yeah. It is easy to say God is love and a loving God wouldn’t allow hurtful things.
We forget God is a wrathful God. Even though we can’t see God, we know when He is angry at our sinfulness. God’s anger is used to get us back on His track.
Glossary
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Reasons Why
“for the Lord disciplines the one he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3: 12 CSB)
Why does God discipline us? Why does any good parent discipline their child?
Because God loves us.
I know. I am repeating myself. “For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child” (Heb. 12: 6 NLT).
God loves us. He wants us to turn and follow His ways.
Let’s face it. We have a lot of areas in which we have to improve — pride, selfishness, submission, unity — just to name a few.
But God is addressing us as a Father addresses a child. Yes, those who have ABCDed, are His children. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (Jn. 1: 12 ESV).
Henderson made a good observation. Most parents try to convince the child to obey before they break out the discipline. God is the same way. He tries to convince us to follow Him before He brings out the trial.
Because God is trying to get us to positively build our character, He works with us in the best way possible. Sometimes, it might be tenderly. Sometimes, it might more like tough love.
Johnson told us how we should approach trials in the following ways:
- In humility
- Seeking endurance
Making the Connections
Our attitude plays a big part in how we perceive God’s corrections. Bryce wrote, “Life is a discipline, but life may not be in any true sense a discipline to this individual and to that, because so much depends upon the attitude of the soul to God, and to His will. It remains with each man to enter into God’s redeeming purpose, and to become a fellow-worker with Him.”
Our attitude shows how much we are truly submitting to God. Yes, it starts out with obedience, but we are not going to be 100% obedient in this life. (That doesn’t give us license to sin, but it means we don’t have to beat ourselves up after every sin.)
It all boils down to how much are we truly committed to God.
How Do We Apply This?
- Keep evaluating where we are in walking with the Spirit.
- Evaluate the trial to see why we are being disciplined and what changes we need to make to draw us closer to God.
- Faithfully submit to the discipline.
Not grow weary.
We’ve got to keep our attitude focused on God. Then when the disciplines come in the form of trials, we will be hidden in the palm of His hand.
Father God. Because of our physical nature, we continue to sin, even after our conversion. We don’t want to do that, but we continue to give into temptations. Forgive us, Lord. Strengthen us so that we will follow You. Amen.
What do you think?
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