Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

It Is Good Pain

PSALM 118:18 – The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

THEME OF THE DAY. IT IS GOOD PAIN. In today’s scripture, the Psalmist speaks for every true Christian about the chastening, disciplining, and correcting hand of our God – it isn’t pleasant. Yes, the rod of the Lord hurts. Yes, His correcting of us is painful, but there are three things to remind ourselves which helps us see and prosper from the heavy hand of correction all Christians receive from the Lord.

First, remember who holds the rod of correction. It is in the Hand of Him who is love (1 John 4:8). Yes, we will cry under its weight. Yes, we will feel we cannot take anymore, but remember, every act of the Lord in the lives of His children comes in love. Oh, we may not understand it, plead to be delivered from it, and might even complain, but it came from a heart of love who only wants good for His children. And that leads to the second truth to cling to in the pain of God’s correction and discipline in our lives.

God disciplines us, brings painful correction in our lives, for the ultimate purpose of our growth in His holy likeness. The writer of Hebrews encourages us with this truth – It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:7-11). When we feel like “throwing in the spiritual towel” due to weariness of seemingly constant need of correction, stop and thank God for the good work He is doing in you. He loves you so much that He would “hurt” you to rid you of your unholy character and replace it with His holy character.

Finally, when the furnace of divine chastisement, correction, and discipline is hot and seems unbearable, take your heart and mind to the cross of Christ. Basically, run to the portion of scripture that causes us to look to Jesus – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2). As we see what He endured for us, we will quickly retreat from any thought of complaining or rebelling against the good pain God is bringing into our lives.

So, always remember. God wastes nothing in our lives, even our pain. Through it we will grow more and more like Him, and that is the purpose in all that He does in our lives. Rejoice He is doing it in your life.

PRAYER: “Father, teach me glad submission to Your chastening hand knowing the pain is worth the spiritual gain.”

QUOTE: “No correcting, chastisement, and discipline from the Lord is pain-but it is good. Rest in this truth.”