truth and consequences

I have done quite a bit of growing this year. I am thankful for the many lessons that God has taught me over this past year. I rebelled and fell away most of 2010, but my God is loving and gracious. I am thankful for His chastening hand, as well.

Recently, I made some poor choices and have had to suffer the consequences. As I prayed for God's forgiveness, I also prayed that maybe He would "rescue" me from my stupidity. While I did pray for God to swoop in and fix it all, I am not crazy enough to think that I wouldn't have to suffer for my actions. What child doesn't get punished when they do wrong? While I am still suffering from my actions, I feel that it has drawn me closer to my Lord.

The time I have had in prayer over these last few weeks has been so sweet. I feel that as He has stripped away layers that needed to go. He has shown me things that needed to change in my life. He has shown me that He is in complete control of everything that happens in my life. I am finally at a point where it's not just words, God is in control, it is fact. Ok, it's always been a fact, but it's a believable truth in my heart & mind now.

A Father's discipline ... Hebrews 12:5-11
    And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.