“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11 NKJV
I am convinced that whether one believes God initiates all world events or simply allows all world events, He will certainly USE all world events. If this is true, and according to Romans 8:28 it certainly seems to be the case, then we better be sure we don’t miss the lessons and repercussions that are being applied. This pandemic has been a bombshell to so many aspects to our life. I am becoming convinced that it is being USED by God to discipline His people.
I know that some will instantly recoil and say, “God doesn’t author sickness or disease. He is the healer!” I agree. However, God is the perfect parent who tries an exponential number of times to input His kids with material goodness and wisdom, yet continually sees His counsel and ways spurned until all that is left is to let life and it’s “fallenness” exact its toll. It’s the parent who relentlessly tries to deliver, support, and resource the incorrigible child, but finally must release them to the repercussions of their sins. It’s not that they hate them. Quite the opposite actually. Out of love they discipline them.
That thought may not settle well with the convoluted “God is good” crowd. I too believe that God is good, all the time, but that “goodness” does not exempt one from correction and discipline. Goodness requires it and my thoughts today revolve around how God may be trying to discipline us. Do we really think we don’t need it? I can assure you that our early American ancestors directly associated plagues and natural phenomena as a disciplinary repercussion of their spiritual state. Famines, plagues, floods, storms, natural disasters, winds, and rains were all filtered through the lens of sovereignty and providence. I understand how my charismatic brethren might chafe at that theology, but our ancestor’s sensitivities to the connection cannot be ignored. Even in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, it was a famine which provided the atmosphere of the prodigal’s awakening. Did God cause the famine? I don’t know, but the fact is that God USED the famine to get his attention.
I’ll point the finger at myself first. I believe this pandemic helped clarify, define, and recalibrate my priorities. This season made me reflect and reestablish what I believe about God. It made me think of my neighbors. It made me evaluate what I believe about church life. It slowed me down in many ways. It provoked numbers of difficult but important questions. I’m sure there are more areas of correction that are yet to be unveiled, but God has disciplined. He loves me.
But in a broader view, could it be that He is disciplining our economy, the selfish nature of some capitalists, and the worship of cultural idols. In less than 30 days this virus tore down our self-exalting infrastructures. It’s been painful. The good news is, He loves us.
The reports coming out seem to indicate that we are moving towards a reentry into a more normal existence. This season of discipline will have been worthless if we do not embrace it and change.
Unfortunately, I’m not hearing those kinds of sounds at large…
My guess is…
We may go back to business as usual and the spiritual status quo…
Not me…
I only need spanked once to get it…
How about you?
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