resentment

Mar

2024

Finding Joy in Discipline?

God’s Love

“Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” – Hebrews 12:6 (NIV)

We are reminded of the deep and abiding love that God has for His children.

His discipline and punishment are not acts of cruelty or anger, but rather expressions of His love and care for us.

Purpose

God’s discipline is not meant to harm us or make us feel small. Instead, it serves a greater purpose – to shape us, refine us, and help us grow into the people He has called us to be.

Just as a loving parent corrects a child, so too does God correct us, not out of anger, but out of a desire to see us reach our full potential.

Process

Discipline is often uncomfortable and even painful. It can be easy to resent it or to feel like we’re being punished for our mistakes.

However, if we can shift our perspective and see discipline as a sign of God’s love and care for us, we can begin to find joy in the process.

Growth

When we embrace discipline with humility and trust in God’s goodness, we open ourselves up to growth and transformation.

Discipline helps us to shed our selfish tendencies and develop character, patience, and wisdom. It refines us, like gold being purified in the fire, so that we can better reflect the image of Christ within us.

Do not despise the discipline of the Lord, but rather embrace it with gratitude, knowing that it is a sign of His deep and abiding love for you. Through discipline, you can find joy and hope in the process of becoming more like Christ.

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“One Minute with God”

Feb

2024

Guarding Against Unbelief

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12

Subtle Danger

The author of Hebrews warns believers here about an insidious threat – creeping unbelief toward God resulting in heart-drift. How easily we become apathetic, cynical, or disillusioned in our walk with Christ.

Circumstances, disappointments, weariness or worldly values can slowly erode childlike trust. We begin questioning God’s goodness, minimizing sin, or casually skipping spiritual disciplines. Before we know it, an unbelieving heart has supplanted once-vibrant faith.

Scripture exhorts us to actively guard against subtle drift. Nurture a heart tender and receptive toward God. Shield it from faith-sapping lies or distractions.

Stay alert to unbelief’s danger. Protect the precious gift of childlike trust.

Exposing the Roots

To guard our hearts, we must identify unbelief’s roots. Often it springs from frustrated expectations – we didn’t get what we wanted from God.

Focus shifted from delight in God’s presence to treating Him as a means to an end. We sought His hand more than His face. Unmet desires bred resentment. True faith rests in God’s character, not just His benefits.

It cherishes intimacy with Him above all else. Even amid confusion, pain, or unanswered prayer, it still worships and adores.

Ask God to check your motivations. Are you seeking abundant life in Christ or just temporal blessings? Remain fixed on the Giver over the gifts.

Cultivating Childlike Trust

Unwavering faith requires nurturing childlike humility and wonder. We must cling to God with wide-eyed dependence, believing without demanding explanations.

Children trust easily – they ask few questions yet expect good from loving parents. Jesus said we must receive His kingdom as a child (Luke 18:17).

Approach your Father eager to obey, quick to believe. Don’t let past disappointments harden your heart into skepticism. God invites you to rediscover awe, delight, gratitude, and hope.

“Taste and see that He is good!” (Psalm 34:8) The joy of unconditional trust far exceeds the fleeting pleasures of unbelief.

Anchored in God’s Faithfulness

Lastly, guard against drift by anchoring in God’s proven faithfulness. Like the Israelites, we easily forget His past rescues, miracles, answers to prayer and provision. Our spiritual amnesia fuels faithlessness. That’s why God commanded His people to regularly recount His deeds (Deuteronomy 6).

We must rekindle amazement by remembering divine works. Review God’s track record in your life. Recall with specifics the times He answered prayer, guided, provided, intervened or redeemed.

Let these testimonies reignite childlike awe. Our faithful God is worthy of complete trust!