When life issues us hard times, we often plead with God to change our circumstances all the while forgetting that God is using our circumstances to change us. At such times shouldn't we at least be asking the question, "Lord, what are you trying to teach me? Why are you allowing this to unfold in my life?"
Pro 3:11-12 declares: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights."
THE MESSAGE (an interpretive paraphrase) renders it:
"But don't, dear friend, resent GOD's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that GOD corrects; a father's delight is behind all this."
Discipleship is more than getting to know what the teacher knows; it is getting TO BE what He is. The Father unrelentingly works in us that we will be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). That is His primary purpose in saving us. And God does this according to His desire, not our likes or dislikes. Jesus will be exalted in us! The Father works all things after the counsel of His will whether we are happy about it or not. The making of a disciple means the creating of a duplicate. Such is quite the process and, at times, excruciating. Discipleship is more than getting to know what the teacher knows. It is getting to be what he is.
- Dick Christen, D.D.
