Tuesday, August 6, 2024

Scripture:

James 4: 1-12, Proverbs 3: 11-35

Questions to Consider:

In what areas of your life do you need to grow in humility?
How can you embrace God’s discipline as a means of growth and transformation?

Reflection:

I have never met a person who likes to be disciplined. I know plenty who grow to appreciate it but even then, I can’t imagine the one who appreciates it actually enjoys discipline. Being disciplined is hard. It’s uncomfortable, painful, embarrassing, and overall just not fun. To make matters worse, we have all faced discipline at the hands of sinners whose judgments and ways are far less than perfect.

For those reasons we have an aversion to the word and everything that word stands for. What does the bible say about discipline?

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. Proverbs 3: 11-12

Further in James we read:

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4: 10

This past Sunday we met (maybe for the first time in truth) Joseph. What we saw in Joseph was a kid in need of discipline and humility. He lived a life of favor and being doted on by his father and though James had yet to write his letter, his words were certainly applicable. He needed to be humbled and he was. The trials that Joseph faced were the foreshadowing of Christ that we talked about but they were also for his earthly benefit. He was transformed through his trial and after he was humbled, the Lord exalted him.

Far too often we want the exaltation without the humility. We want the lesson without the discipline. That is rarely, if ever, how God operates. The story of Joseph and the supporting texts we read this morning should teach us that God is presently at work shaping us into the vessels that he wants us to be and humility and discipline are some of his favorite tools.

Welcome the discipline and learn from it, it means that the Lord loves you enough to reprove you and to transform you into his likeness. Discipline is an amazing grace.

Prayer:

As difficult as it is for me to pray Lord, I thank you for your discipline. I thank you that you love me enough to keep me humble and to continue to transform me. Please keep growing me Lord and I will look to you through all the pains. In the name of Jesus, Amen.