Do you know enough about God to declare that He would never hurt you or anyone else? It is quite common to look upon Him as a mender of broken hearts and one who binds up our wounds. Indeed, He certainly is that, and we certainly want to thank and praise Him for that. But whoever thinks that is all He comprises is selectively cherry-picking verses in the Bible. If that is you, you have a lot to look forward to discovering the God of the Bible.
The patriarch, Jacob, encountered God, was blessed, yet left that experience walking with a limp where God had touched him. (Gen. 32:30-31) Do you limp where God touched you?
Some would retort by saying Jesus stood in for us and was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. We certainly can praise and worship Him for that. But if you noticed, transgressions and iniquities both refer to sins or failures. Salvation doesn’t erase our innate characteristics such as independence, pride, greed, selfishness, and abusive tendencies. How does He work with those things to help us grow into the fullness of Christ?
Does God only have forgiveness, miracles, and untold blessings in His toolbox when chiseling unhealthy human habits or wrong ideas off His children as He makes them into the likeness of His Son? The Bible teaches He uses pain and hurts to chisel off all the characteristics that make us look and behave more like the culture of the world. He has untold tools in His toolbox to lay bare the innermost secrets of our hearts, to challenge us to be stronger and have a love for Him like Jesus’ humanity had for his Heavenly Father.
When Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17), do you think that question made his emotions jump for joy? No, they grieved for him. It even stimulated self-defense. Has the Lord ever grieved you? In my own life, if I had never experienced His grieving, correcting, rebuking, or discipline, I would know very little of Him.
We hear so much more about God’s tender love that we have been lulled to sleep on easy believism and cheap grace. We hear much more about accepting Jesus’ payment of salvation than surrendering the control of our daily lives to Him. Just getting in the door of the kingdom of God requires each person to surrender their own kingdom to God’s kingdom. God desires individuals who will embrace hardship and follow His path, mirroring Jesus’s thoughts, actions, and reactions. He looks for those whose hearts say to Him, I love you, God, and want to be your love slave as Paul and others saw themselves. The Christian life is not all about us; it is about glorifying our God. Remember, “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Hebrews 12:6 ESV.
Ironically, the better you know Him, the greater faith, love, and trust in Him you will have. He is no longer a god made in your likeness. He is majestic, yet desires to share Himself with you.
Yes and Amen.. I’m going through such a time as this right now, and I would covet your prayers that God would show me what He wants me to do!
May God bless you and continue to use you to convey His truth!!