Discipline; like or not receive it.

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lordʼs discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,  because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Hebrews 12:5‭-‬13 NIV

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to Godʼs law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Rom 8: 7 - 11

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:  These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of Godʼs creation.  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.   Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.   To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Revelation 3:14‭-‬21 NIV

I confess that I, and many Christians in many churches have been carnal, more focused on our giftings, or problems, not wanting to surrender all to God; than on the character issue's that God the father desires we deal with.

We often make light of these things because it's easier to sacrifice than to obey. Yet God wants obedience more than sacrifice.
He is more interested in us being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, than how well we preach, prophecy or use  our spiritual gifting we may have. The reason is simple, those are gifts, given for us to bless others, not ourselves.

On the other hand our character, integrity is who we are created in God's image. We have fooled ourselves thinking we are spiritual because God has used us, but God used a donkey if you recall.

So once again this is affirming our identity as Sons. The Father rebukes and dicipline the ones he loves and calls them sons. 

I myself have endured Gods hand of dicipline on my Life, it was as if God had to pull the rug under my feet to get my attention. I lived like I was king, and paid no regard to the the gentle voice of God, to humble myself under his hand and turn away from the the wickedness and brokenness of my life.

 Oh I put on a good show of false piety and wore the appropriate masks in different company.  

However in my heart I was torn and addicted to porn and masturbation, and was so afraid that my real struggles would be found out. And that in turn would lead to me being rejected and shamed in front of man.

What I forgot that I should have been more afraid of God. So I resisted God and he humbled me, severely.  

I found that he stripped me of everything that I thought made up my identity, work, marriage and even spiritual gifting. 

All in order to show me who he was and is, and whom I was and what I could be in him. If I simply surrendered my life to him, and acknowledged him fully as Lord and Saviour. 

Thankfully I did endure and still do endure his dicipline and as promised, he is transforming me and bringing fruit to bear.

Whilst it is true that God can, will, and does use our availability, that in it's self, it does not mean we are spiritually mature. To be that; is a process that takes time, and a deep commitment to change and adapt. To do so with meekness, humility, and absolute surrender, and obedience to God's plan for our lives.

We must therefore acknowledge that we are poor, wretched, naked and pitiful without his presence and Grace in us and through us.

We need to Submit and yield to his pruning and discipline, and he will in turn, give us Grace and not oppose us.

THEN we will be restored, and be given a victors crown and reward (he does reward us now and in eternity). Its because of his great love that he disciplines us.

When you don't understand his ways, always trust his heart.