Correction From God

"What you endure is in order to correct you. God treats you like sons and what son is not corrected by his father? Besides, when our parents according to the flesh correct us, we respected them. How much more should we be subject to the Father of the spirits to have life? Our parents corrected us as they saw fit, with a view to this very short life, but God corrects us for our own good, that we may share His holiness. All correction is painful at the moment, rather than pleasant; later it brings the fruit of peace, that is, holiness to those who have been trained by it." - Hebrews 12: 7, 9-11

I have a friend that is going through a very hard, very dark situation. She sees all that's happening in her life as God punishing her for the sins she has committed. I was praying for her one day, and God let me feel that she was lonely and hurt. It wasn't that she was sinful and needed punishment, but that being away from Him had led her astray and she needed Him in order to heal. She sees the bad in her life as God abandoning her and punishing her, but it is actually correction. Slowly, God has been taking away certain things that will cause her harm, and also showing her valuable lessons in humility. This isn't punishment, but correction. God let me feel that He loves her so much, but will let her reach bottom until she has no choice but to acknowledge that He's the only One that can help her. She, like all of us, are God's beloved children. He lets us go out and play in the world, but like a good father, He corrects when we have misbehaved for our greater good. We may think we are smart enough on our own, but when caught up in our errors, we suffer and cry out to the Lord like young children. But as the author of the letter to the Hebrews says, no correction is pleasant at first. My friend is struggling. She feels a pain and a loneliness in her heart that only she and the Lord can understand. However, God knows what He's doing and in time, His actions will bring her what she needs the most - peace.

If you are going through a difficult time and feel God is punishing you, pray and understand that you are going through what's best for your soul. It does not matter to God that you get what you really want right now if what you want makes you lose sight of Him and your salvation. God calls you to be holy and He works so that what He does give you will make you happy here on earth, and most importantly, in Heaven.

Today's Prayer:
Lord, thank You for loving us as Your own children, correcting us so that we don't go down the wrong path. Please have mercy and understanding for those that are lost, for those that are having difficulty seeing and following Your will. Help us all to know in our hearts that You are the way, the truth, and the Life and only You can bring us the peace we need. In Your Name we pray, amen.