Grandma would say~This is Going to Hurt a Bit!

 

 

“For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:12

 I can remember a few years back I was doing what most forty year olds do. Having braces put on my teeth. “This is going to hurt a bit.” Not exactly what you want to hear when someone has her hands in your mouth along with the dentist, even if she is a dear friend and a lovely person. While working on a wide space that was not closing on my teeth, the orthodontist assistant was working away while saying  comforting things to me with the promise of results. Suddenly, a loud crunch and a excruciating pain filled the upper right side of my mouth where the gap was. As tears rolled down my cheeks she said,  “Dr. D had to do that to close the gap and pull your teeth together quicker. But over the next few days you are going to hurt. Sorry but we had to cause some pain to get your teeth where you want them to be.” Wearing braces as an adult was bad enough, but some days I really did wonder if the pain was worth the benefits to my teeth and the smile I was looking for.

I recall the discipline Grandma used to give when I was younger. With it there would often be the reminder story of a new little tree planted in the ground and how it had to be tied down tightly and staked where the wind could not blow it into a deep bended slump. She would tell me that the little tree had to be disciplined and almost painfully tightly tied to where it would grow up big, straight and tall to be able to carry all the weight it needed to hold.

There are many days when I open up God’s Word and He delivers the same message as the orthodontist assistant: “This is going to hurt a bit, but the power of My Word working on your heart will help get you to a healthy place.” Hurt a bit? What kind of pain are we talking about here? “The pain of correction,” God answers.

Part of understanding God’s loving correction is understanding God’s ~Agape~ love.

The love of not allowing me to go my own why, because His way is much better even if it causes great pain to keep me from bending the wrong way.  

As an example, God points out my anger, which is a sin. His Word says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” Philippians 4:6. Retraining my thoughts can be a painful progress. Prayer requires discipline instead of allowing my thoughts and feelings to naturally gravitate toward the object of my anger. God whispers to me that He has more for me.

 He carefully draws my attention to the thoughts I allowed to brew about a rude email from someone I thought loved me. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is respected or praiseworthy—think about these things” Philippians 4:8.

If my thoughts about her are not, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable, He says they must go and be replaced with His. My heart squirms and my feelings say no. Though I don’t want to, my mind says: Is the discipline needed to change going to be worth it? Other times shame tries to find a corner in my heart: You know better; you should be past this point. Then I remember today’s verse, “For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12). The Holy Spirit corrects me because He knows I want to be a woman who honors my Heavenly Father. To become that woman there is going to be discomfort and sometimes pain involved. The phrases, “whom the Lord loves” and “in whom he delights” provide relief and encouragement when God’s Word sets the power chain of correction into motion.

 My Father loves me with His ~Agape~ love; He is crazy about me! As I dearly loved and enjoyed my children with us before they were grown and the way I love my little grandkids, the Father loves and enjoys me, only more so! This is the message I have to speak to my heart when it says God wants me to suffer because He is mad or disappointed in me. Not so. He wants what is best for me, including doing what it takes to grow more like Him. So as Grandma Lela would tell me to pray I need to speak to Him.

Lord, it can be hard to equate Your correction with Your love. Keep my heart soft and my mind open as I read Your Word. Discipline me because of Your devotion to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. ~ Feels like another hug from Grandma <3