CHASTENING OF THE LORD, Hebrews 12:5-6. The Hebrews had forgotten that the afflictions they suffered were not only from the hand of man but were also used by the Lord for His own purposes. If we see only the human instruments and circumstances, we may think we are at liberty to rebel. No matter the channel through which it comes, it is the Father’s will for us. Chastening is to instruct and train, not to punish. There is no thought of anger, but of parental care and discipline. A true father trains his child to develop a better character. God takes us in hand and prunes, shapes, and forms us as He desires.
Corrective action by a wise parent is evidence of real love for their child and hope for their future. Correction is seldom pleasant, but it is necessary to teach the value of discipline that hopefully will become self-discipline. When God allows the suffering and persecution of His children, we should recognize it as corrective and instructive training for our spiritual growth and character development. It may be a means to correct our faults or to make us more like our Lord.
There will be times when persecution, opposition, and suffering seem unfair to our way of thinking, but God allows them for His sovereign reasons. Often, in such times, our character is built, our faith is strengthened, and our divine life becomes evident to those who look on. Whatever the Father’s reason, we should never make light of it, despise it, or let it happen without learning from it. Instead of complaining, giving in to cynicism, and hardness, we need to accept discipline from God, who applies pressure to mold us and teach us courage. Discipline is a major part of our spiritual education.
When a person receives divine life by placing personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we need to learn how to live this new life and be effective in the kingdom of God, of which we are now a part. The discipline of character and conduct that leads to holy, righteous, and godly living is evidence of real divine life in us. We have to learn to be patient, courageous, and bold in ways that are appropriate to our new nature and to the world in which we are called to represent our Lord.
A consecrated life doesn’t happen without training, because even though we have a new nature, we still live in the same body in the same sinful world. We need to learn that our strength and blessings come from God, not from our own strength, will, and imagination. Every trial we face has God's hand in it in some way. He allows it, so it is up to me to glorify God in it and make it a blessing. If we choose to, we can become “more than conquerors.”
Two things we must understand are: appropriate responses to chastening and not taking it lightly. It has been allowed for a valuable purpose; don’t faint under it, but be strong in faith, fearing the Lord.