Darren2013 Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I believe that divine discipline is a real thing. It is not punishment but rather a corrective action from God that benefits the creation as a whole. We are all God's children and He deals with each of us in a unique way so Divine discipline can come in many different forms. He still loves us unconditionally and we are still saved and heaven is our eternal home but there are circumstances I suspect when God may take an individual out of this world early as a form of Divine discipline. Take myself for example. I suspect that the cancer I am faced with is a means of Divine discipline because for many years I have not been serving God and just living for myself and not making use of the gifts and callings that God has given me. Health is a blessing that ultimately comes from The Lord. Since I have ignored His calling in many areas of my life I have become pretty much useless and a disgrace to Him, myself, my friends and family and society as a whole. So by allowing me to get an incurable blood cancer it may be personalized attention from God saying okay if you are not going to use your time and talents and gifts to serve me and benefit your fellow human beings and give something back to the world then it is time to take you home Darren. God is doing this in a way that gives those close to me a chance to prepare for the end so that way the blow is softened and they will all mostly be at peace about it after I die. That's why over the past year I have felt a compelling sense to get all my affairs in order financially. I have been doing that and have built up a healthy savings account. If anything happens to me today then that money I saved up will help make things easier on my grieving parents who can use that money as they deem necessary for whatever. This way there's no pressure for them to be in a hurry to resume work while grieving. But yeah I suspect that God is arranging all of this. If I don't want to use my gifts and talents then He will give them to someone else. Take me out of the world and make way for someone else who is going to be born to use them. There are accounts in the Bible when God has cut a person's life short as an act of discipline. Noah and the flood is one example. God saw that violence was saturating the whole earth and humans were just killing each other left and right. If God had not sent the flood then it was only a matter of time before the human race annihilated itself. So I do believe God is like the ultimate parent who protects as He deems fit. He doesn't protect all the way. Just like earthly parents can't be overprotective and must give their children some freedom to make mistakes but that doesn't mean no protection and guidance at all. Some folks may not agree with me because we are used to the American way of parenting kids but in some cultures it is different so we can't project the American way of parenting on to God. That's where there's flaws even in my comparison. There's other forms of divine discipline. It isn't something to fear. It is a positive thing and its purpose is to benefit everyone as a whole and not to punish. That divine discipline can come through removing certain people from your life. Even our governments come under divine discipline when they get off track and stop serving the people as God entrusted them to do so. We can all use divine discipline because nobody is above needing it. Link to post Share on other sites
autumnnight Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 It is very clearly a Biblical principle that God does chastise His children. He disciplines us. However, I would direct you to the blind man He healed in the New Testament. His disciples asked, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" Jesus said that neither did, but his blindness was for the glory of God. And then He healed them. That is why I am hesitant to say that someone is sick or hurt or in pain because God is judging them. I am not God. I do not know. I did just say a prayer for you and your health though Link to post Share on other sites
Author Darren2013 Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 (edited) It is very clearly a Biblical principle that God does chastise His children. He disciplines us. However, I would direct you to the blind man He healed in the New Testament. His disciples asked, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" Jesus said that neither did, but his blindness was for the glory of God. And then He healed them. That is why I am hesitant to say that someone is sick or hurt or in pain because God is judging them. I am not God. I do not know. I did just say a prayer for you and your health though Oh I wouldn't presume that God is chastening anyone else if they are sick but I can presume that on myself. I can judge myself to be under discipline but I can't judge anyone else. The Bible talks about letting every man judge himself. But for you to say a prayer for my health? I don't know what the contents of that prayer request consisted of and that's none of my business you don't need to tell me. But if you prayed anything other than God's will be done then that prayer is useless. If you did pray for my healing that might be praying against God's will being done as maybe God doesn't want me healed. Edited December 21, 2014 by Darren2013 Link to post Share on other sites
autumnnight Posted December 21, 2014 Share Posted December 21, 2014 I prayed that you would sense His presence, rest in Him, and have peace knowing your health is in His hands. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
BC1980 Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Darren, I'm glad that you have found peace and comfort in your illness. I am glad that you have not become bitter but instead have turned to God at this time. I often question why God allows illness, and I don't have any answers. We have one of three choices: 1. God has no hand in our daily lives. He lets things play out without interference. 2. God controls all aspects of our lives and causes all things for His reasons. 3. God picks and chooses. Sometimes, He intervenes, and, sometimes, He does not. I have no answers, my friend, but I can tell you that it is admirable to turn a terrible diagnosis into something good. I think we all have that choice when we are face with very difficult times, and I am glad that you made a good choice. Link to post Share on other sites
Author Darren2013 Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 The Lord even gave Noah detailed instructions on building the ark and how to build it and what to bring with him in the ark before the flood came. God basically told Noah to get his household affairs in order. I believe God put the determination in Noah to focus all his energy for those 120 years building that Ark. Link to post Share on other sites
autumnnight Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 The Lord even gave Noah detailed instructions on building the ark and how to build it and what to bring with him in the ark before the flood came. God basically told Noah to get his household affairs in order. I believe God put the determination in Noah to focus all his energy for those 120 years building that Ark. Of course He did Link to post Share on other sites
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