Should we only accept good from God?

     I love being a Dad but their are times when it is much more enjoyable than others.  The times when I really don't enjoy being a Father is when I have to discipline my kids.  I recently had to punish one of my kids because of a string of deceitful and dishonest acts.  If you would have popped into my house at the moment I was disciplining them and would have seen their reaction to the punishment, you might have been tempted to label me an abusive father.

     But before you call and report me for child abuse, you should know that what I did was take away a few of their most prized possessions and privileges, until their changed behavior could earn their redemption.

     My children can tell by the look on my face and the tone of my voice when I am entering their room to administer punishment.  Their reaction is not pleasant at all.  It is quite the opposite reaction that I would receive if I entered their room to give them a gift, say an ice cream cone or a new toy.  They are quite happy to see me in those moments.  But what my children are not able to see because of their immaturity, is that my heart and motivation towards them is exactly the same in both of those moments.  I want to bless them!

     I totally understand why they don't see punishment, discipline and correction as a blessing.  I didn't see those things as blessings either, when they came from my parents.  But I am reminded of a quote from the book of Job: "Should we only accept good things from the hand of God and not bad?"

     We will line up to buy the latest book on "6 easy steps to receiving God's blessings."  But a book on "Making the most of God's correction" probably won't even make it on the shelves.  We love to hear preachers tell us that God wants to fill our pockets with money, our houses with stuff, and our garages with a Lexus and an Escalade.  But we have no desire to hear a message saying that sometimes God allows us to suffer pain.  What preacher wants to preach "God disciplines those he loves?"

     Pain comes into our lives through three different ways.
1. Through our choice.
       I can warn my children that certain actions will result in pain, but they choose whether or not they will listen to me.  God is the same towards us.
     Their are some things that are out of his control!  God chooses not to override our choices: therefore putting it out of his control.

2.  Through another's choice.
     Just as God chooses not to control our choices, he also chooses not to control other people's choices.  Sometimes those choices result in other people causing us pain.

3.  Through God's choice.
     This is the hardest one for me to swallow.  God allows painful circumstances into our lives.  Why?  Sometimes, it is to correct us.  "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful!  But afterward their will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." Hebrews 12:11

     Sometimes, it is the devil trying to destroy our faith.  Please don't ever pretend to be God and tell someone else that they are going through pain because God is punishing them.  You have no idea!  God wants us to respond out of love and compassion to someone's pain, not judgement and criticism.

The promise that I hold onto when I go through pain is Romans 8:28. (And I fully understand that the pain I have went through in my life is nothing compared to what others have endured!  But God's promises our the same regardless.)  "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

So I challenge you to ask God a couple of questions in the midst of pain, "What do you want to teach me through this?" and "How are you going to work this out for my good?"