Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
—Hebrews 12:11 NKJV
When God is chastening or dealing with you, endure it. Don't try to get away from it because God chastens us just as a loving father chas¬tens his children. Notice in today's verse that God's chastening brings "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" into your life (italics mine).
I have peace in my life now for only one reason. I have endured the chastening of the Lord (see Deut. 8:5). I've let God do what He wanted to do in my life. I let Him show me that I was prideful, haughty, obnoxious, selfish, self-centered, and hard to get along with. I've let Him show me these things because the truth about our behavior will set us free (see John 8:32).
It's not easy to endure that kind of godly chastisement. God won't let us off the potter's wheel until He's ready. It doesn't matter how tired we get of going around and around. God is the Potter and we're the clay, and He is going to make what He knows we can be.
Staying in bondage is much harder than enduring the chastisement of God. Had I not been willing to endure the chastisement of God, I'd still be back in the same old mess I was in thirty-something years ago. Allowing God to deal with you may not be comfortable or fun or easy. But He only chastises you when absolutely necessary and only for your good because He loves you. Love yourself by submitting to the work He wants to do in your life.
Love Yourself Today: Is God dealing with you in a certain area? Don't resist; let Him do it and see what good results from it.
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