CORRECTION

Proverbs 3:11-12

Thoughts for the Day

If we want to become wise, we must receive God's corrections (or as the above scripture says, "the Lord's chastening") in our lives. In fact, we should pray for correction, so that we might remain on the right path, because if we go astray we can be destroyed. Notice verse 12 says that God corrects His children as an earthly father would correct his children. We know that any good father does not injure his children when correcting them. When he spanks or punishes his children, it is for the purpose of teaching or correcting them, so that they learn proper behavior to avoid trouble and pain.

The main thing we need to understand about God is that He does not send evil things to punish us. How does God teach us? God teaches us by giving us the Holy Spirit as our teacher, and His book, the Bible, as our study guide. Just as children go to school to learn, they must study to pass their tests. If all a child does, is just listen to his teachers (allowing it to go in one ear and out the other); and refuses to study, he will fail his tests and could even fail to pass on to the next level of learning. He must apply what he hears to be successful. In like manner, if we listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit; and we study the Bible and apply it to our lives, we will be able to pass the tests (trials) of this life. However, if we are rebellious or ignorant of the teachings of the Bible, we will suffer many things that God never intended for us to suffer.

When we are faced with a trial, test or trouble, we must never blame God for it; but rather turn to Him and praise Him for being there to help us through the problem. Praise God, that we can call on Him to show us the way to overcome our trouble and grow in God in the process. Now we should not praise Him for the trouble, as He did not send it; however, we should praise Him for loving us and being there to help us in the midst of our problems. Remember He loves us and delights Himself in us!