Thursday, 19 November 2020

Produce of chastening

If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?  But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.  Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 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 12.7-11

 

Chastening has a goal. Human chastening, as we saw yesterday can fail be cause we are men.

 

God chastens us for our profit – always and forever. It’s not fun, it can even be painful. But if we are faithful and yield to it God will produce the peaceable fruits of righteousness.

 

These peaceable fruits of righteousness ought to be our desire. We have so many goals and notions, but how many of us could say ‘my desire is to bear the fruits of righteousness?’

 

God’s chastening is always for our good. It is also done in love, and it should bear fruit by allowing His righteousness to be seen in my life. It proves that I am His son and that He cares enough to do something about it.

I can let it get me down and defeat me or I can let God bear fruit in my life. In large measure it is up to me.

May my chastening produce God’s fruit in my life. 

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