PRUNING

                

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

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……………….. (Hebrew 12:6-13)

    

DOES THE LORD DISCIPLINE US?

This question came to my mind recently and guess what? I found an answer. Yes, he does. When God disciplines us, it is often what we call PRUNING.  Like the Parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15), a farmer plants a seed and the enemy comes to sow the seed of thorns. The seed of thorns are often probably in the mind, thoughts that are not planted by the Lord.

The period of PRUNING often isn't the most pleasurable one but like this scripture says, even our earthly father discipline us.  The Children of Israel were disciplined several times on their way to the promised Land because there were many things in their life they had to let go. PRUNING is God searching our heart to bring about his freshness and newness. A new wine cannot be put in an old wine skin  ( Mark 2: 21-22) hence, discipline is a way of aligning.

Jonah is probably a man that comes to mind, he wanted to act on his own accord but God disciplined him.  Why? He loves him, he cherishes him.

Pruning is never God against us but rather for us. The Israelites several times, thought the God of their forefathers left them but he never did.  For us to have more of God, God discipline us to bring out the best in us. This is a season every man born of flesh goes through because at times , we don't know what is in us but he does see our heart.  I could never have thought early in my life, I was proud. God revealed this to me when he disciplined me. Pruning breaks us. God is a spirit and he desires that those who worship must do that in spirit and truth.  Pruning brings a man to a broken state. For God uses a broken and contrite heart ( Psalm 51:7). Hence, God is ever in the business of making us holy by disciplining us.

At times we go through several hardships of life so that we may stay totally committed to his ways. For his ways are good and never of evil. The trials of life are to bring out a renewed strength and also to keep us focused on the lane.  

DISCIPLINE IS GOD’S LOVE FOR HUMANITY.

Thank you for reading!