“If God loves me, then why am I suffering like this?” This is probably the most often asked question by Christians. I want to give at least one possible answer to it. It is because God is treating you like HIs child.

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 Hebrews 12:7-8

Doesn’t it make you glad that you are going through difficult times? Not that the difficult times themselves are pleasurable, but knowing that it’s a sign that God is treating you like His child, don’t you feel honored that God finds you WORTHY to take time for you to discipline you so that your future will be a better one? Would you rather have Him not pay any attention to you so that your life may be smooth sailing but you have no Father watching over you?

Years ago, when I surveyed the teenagers, one thing they wished their parents did more for them was to give them clear boundaries! They felt that their parents were letting them do whatever they wanted and they felt unloved! And we thought that they would feel more loved by us when we let them do whatever they want!

They knew intuitively that love involves discipline. God disciplines you to show you that He loves you. But to what end? What is the goal of His discipline? 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. Hebrews 12:10

He wants you to be holy. Just like Him.

PH