By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
Sometimes pain is the result of living in a fallen world. Other times pain is the result of living with the consequences of our own actions or neglect. Both are difficult to endure, but pain is good when it motivates us towards positive change.
“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.” (Hebrews 12:11)
It is tough to watch loved ones suffer as a result of their mistakes. When they hurt—we hurt. It’s tempting to want to ease their pain by somehow fixing their problems but we must resist the temptation. People learn through mistakes.
As Dr. Henry Cloud once said, “To rescue people from the natural consequences of their behavior is to render them powerless.”
We need to encourage our loved ones to accept responsibility for their actions and do what they can to change for the better.
Your response is your responsibility. ~Joyce Meyers
Sometimes God uses painful life experiences to direct our steps towards His best for us, and sometimes He uses them to draw us closer to Him. Either way, God’s discipline is intended to bring about positive change and is always done in love.
The footprints you leave behind show clearly where you have been. Yet they do not dictate where you can now go. ~Ralph Marston
We may not be able to refuse God’s discipline, but we can refuse to be changed by it.
“Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.” (Proverbs 19:20)
