"If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.” Hebrews 12:8. God disciplines his children. I am not intimating in any way, shape or form that all trials and tribulations, persecutions and problems, illnesses and disease are chastisement from the Lord. It absolutely is not. Sacred Scripture makes it clear that we sometimes experience difficulties in our lives that cannot be attributed to anything that we did wrong or any sin that we committed that warranted God's discipline. Job is a perfect example. God let a righteous man go through the fires of trouble. His troubles did not come from God's discipline.

The same is true with Paul the apostle. Paul's problem which he called a "thorn in the flesh” and said, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.” (2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul attributes this particular problem at least to the Devil. In fact, he had prayed on three different occasions asking God to heal him of the infirmity but each time God said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (vs 9). So what I am suggesting is that not everything that happens to us in our lives is chastening from the hand of the Lord, even though it is obviously permitted. On the other hand, there are many things that come into our lives that are to be disciplinary strategies of almighty God. The Bible says that everything works together for good to them that love God and are called according to His purpose. If we believe this, then we must also believe that it includes illness, troubles, and divine discipline. God will utilize every circumstance to bring about Hi

s will and His plan for each of us. Hebrews 12:10-11 says this: "Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

When God lets things come into our lives, sometimes as a means of discipline, it is for our good that we might develop more holiness, develop more righteousness, and develop more faith in our life. It is a revelation of God's love for us. Divine discipline in intended to correct or rebuke. The Hebrew writer said, "And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.'” The world will have to pay its dues some day; it will receive its punishment from our heavenly Father. But God says that when we are judged, we are chastened so that we will not be judged, or condemned, with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).

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