We’ve been discussing how giving thanks is a command and it is supposed to be our first response to EVERY situation. The Bible says:
“…giving thanks ALWAYS for ALL things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Ephesians 5:20
Now, we don’t like to think about this, but trouble may also be a minister of growth. Think about going to the gym. You are placing your body in distress so you can attain a higher level of physical fitness. We know that Jesus uses the physical realm to teach us about the spiritual realm so why wouldn’t trouble work much the same?
If we have a grateful heart, then we can view trouble as an opportunity for spiritual growth.
When we are born again and have a deep knowledge that God is our loving father, then when trouble strikes, we can pray with a fully grateful heart, ”Thank You, Lord, that in the midst of my heartache, and in the middle of my pain, deprivation, broken home, cancer, financial ruin…I know you have a plan to work all things for my good, Heavenly Father!”
Trouble can provide the same sort of good benefits to us that working out can provide to us when we’re overweight. But it’s painful. But the Bible makes it clear that God loves His children and therefore corrects them.
“For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.” Hebrews 12:6
What a great tragedy it is when parents fail to save their children from self-destructive habits. And it’s painful to correct them as well! I absolutely cringe every time I have to smack the little hand of my 2-1/2 year-old granddaughter when she tries to touch the fire poker. But if she does not learn from the pain of Granny K’s smack on the hand, the day will come when that poker is hot and she will learn of the danger in a more terrible way.
Likewise, trouble often serves to correct our behavior so we can grow into all God has made us to be.
I correct little Claire because I love her. I did the same for her mamma. But God loves us even more than we do our children. He died for us and loves us enough to patiently and lovingly correct us time after time. David, the sweet singer of Israel, wrote:
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” Psalms 119:67
While the chastening is painful [for the giver and the recipient], it produces a much different result for a grateful heart than it does for someone who is unthankful. For the grateful heart it yields “the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” The Bible says:
“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11
My friend, don’t misunderstand me, all trouble is not for chastening. A person who is pursuing the attitudes of Christ knows the difference. How? Because one of the attitudes of Christ is to mourn sin, which means we recognize sin when we see it. When God chastens us, He does not withhold the knowledge of the crime from us. His Spirit reveals our sin. Yes, we may very well still need to endure the consequences, but eventually if we repent and conform to His ways—it does produce peace which comes from His righteousness in us.
I’ll give you an example. Several years ago, I felt the Holy Spirit drawing me to quit practicing domestic relations law. Now there’s nothing innately sinful about this area of law. In fact, I was able to lead people to Jesus while I was practicing domestic relations law. But God had a different plan for my life. Well, I resisted. I hired another attorney to take over that area of practice. But that’s not what God was calling me to do. When she quit, I was left with 50 contested cases and no help. My friend, I was definitely feeling very chastened. I was reluctant to obey God because to drop this area of my practice meant also walking away from 75% of my income. I am ashamed to say it took me two years of chastening from God to get me into complete obedience. When I finally gave up and quit practicing domestic relations law, it was 2020 and the pandemic hit. Needless to say, our office had two years of barely enough income to pay the bills. If I had quit two years before, when God told me to quit, I would’ve had two years to prepare for the financial downturn of 2020.
However, today, I am super grateful for the chastening of God.
There is no way that GoFaithStrong would be operating at the level it is today. There is no way I would have time to teach multiple Bible studies every week, do the weekly Truth In Love podcast, make videos and write devotionals. The very nature of domestic relations law is that it sucks your soul in time and leaves you very little time for anything else in your life. I’m thankful the Lord forcibly changed my path. Today, my work day has been cut by half and God has provided income sufficient to minister all over the world.
