Child of God

I was planning on adding some pictures from Kiara’s birthday (in May) and the boys last day of school to officially be caught up with my blogging…but the other night in reading the Bible, I had a bit of a revelation that I feel I should share….It actually is pretty basic and obvious, but it’s something that hadn’t sunk in for me before and thought maybe someone else needed it to sink in for them too…so here it is: I was reading in Hebrews 12. I will put the verses that stood out the most to me, which were verses 5-7 & 10-11;


5And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline and don’t give up when he correct you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. 7As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?

10For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 11No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

I’m sure everyone out there has perfect children that never need disciplined, but in our house we have the occasion to try to guide them and shape them and to show them discipline that ultimately we know is best for them. How many times as parents do we say “Because I said so” or “Trust me, I know what is best for you”? Well I say it often or some variation of that. We had a particularly trying evening this week and as I went to read in my Bible that night before going to bed, I read through Hebrews 12…those verses above stuck out at me and pretty much slapped me in the face so to speak. Why do I find it so easy to tell my own children to trust me and that something is for their own good…Just like them, I want to know why and I don’t understand God’s greater vision for me. I am HIS child…He is sovereign over EVERYTHING…He loves me more than anyone on earth…Why can’t I trust him blindly to do what is best for me? Because we are like children..we really don’t understand. I wrote a few comments down right as I read this…and although they are now about 5 days old, they still strike me:

“As a parent, I often make decisions and guide the kids in what I know to be best for them (and I truly do). It gets frustrating when they question that “authority” and I know that one day they will understand and be glad (for my choices)…my heavenly Father must feel soooo much more the same with me. HE knows what is best. He is GOD!! Why should I question when I know that He has my best interest at heart?”

So my challenge? To stop and let God make those decisions for me..let Him show me what He has for me and when I don’t agree with those choices or the way he carves out…to simply stop, surrender, and trust that He knows better than I do. I think about my neck situation…Would I have chosen 6+ years to suffer with this? Of course not, but God is working in it and I am growing and giving glory to Him for it…isn’t that worth it in the long run? Thank you God for being the disciplining Father that I so often need.