The grace of God abounds to those children who receive correction and grow from it. Our Father is loving and secure. He does not punish because he enjoys it, he corrects because it is good for us. Discipline helps us. We are still children before God who need to yield to the perspective and truth of our Heavenly Father. Elihu, speaking in the Spirit of God to Job and His friends in Job 33, reminds us that God speaks in chastening and correction. God uses discipline to gain our attention, He wants us to be tuned in to His voice for He wants to direct us in love for the way we should go. Our attitude about His correction determines how he corrects and with what severity. Like any loving and secure parent, God corrects for our good, but desires to forgive and forget when we have repented.
Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Hebrews 12:5-11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
(Pause before prayer now and ask God to reveal where you have gotten off track and why you have needed correction.)
Yielding Prayer:
Father, I acknowledge my need for correction. Thank you for showing me where I have erred. I ask forgiveness and repent for _____________. Thank you for being faithful and just to forgive me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Father, I want know your voice. Please help me to grow up in maturity so that I do not have to be punished to hear your direction. This morning, I forsake my way to you and choose to turn my ear towards you. Please make your words known to me so that I can follow you easily (Proverbs 1:23-33).