Isaiah 38:15-17 NLT - But what could I say? For he himself had sent this sickness. Now I will walk humbly throughout my years because of this anguish I have felt. Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You have restored my health and have allowed me to live! Yes, it was good for me to suffer this anguish, for you have rescued me from death and have forgiven all my sins.
One of the most difficult experiences for me was when I had to give the first spanking to my daughter. We had just moved from sunny California to the cold and damp climate of the Northwest. The fireplace was an immediate attraction to our oldest daughter crawling around on the living room floor. She was drawn to the brightness and the warmth of the flames. At first I would just pick her up and move her to the other room. It progressed to adding a firm “No” when picking her up. Eventually I had to swat her hand to get the message across. The look on her face just about tore me up as she looked up to me with those beautiful eyes as if to say, “How could you do that?” Discipline is never easy – whether it be for your children or whether you are receiving it from God. In Isaiah, the story is told of King Hezekiah who went through a certain sickness in his life. As hard as it was to go through this trial – Hezekiah states that it caused him to walk humbly for the rest of his life and it rescued him from death (probably spiritually). Perhaps you are going through some sort of trial in your life right now. You might feel as if everyone has abandoned you and you might feel that God doesn’t love you. The fact is – He has not left you and loves you very much. He knows what is best for you and what will help you grow as a Christian. The disciplines that we receive are all part of His plan to make us be the men and women that God wants us to be!
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