Daily Devotional | The Lord's Discipline

Have you ever hidden your sin? In my past, I struggled with alcohol. I experienced the shame of finding empty bottle after bottle of liquor and realizing they belonged to me. I remember wanting to hide where I thought no one could see me and put things into my body to feel better. I learned the difficult way that hiding my sin had consequences. That’s why the words in this Proverb, urging us to come clean before God, strike home to me in a personal way. Much more than I or you ever could understand, our heavenly Father longs to be in right relationship with us.

Today’s passage in Proverbs 3 continues the discussion of how we are to bring everything before God. We are to turn from evil (v. 7), an action that promises a healthier lifestyle! We are to honor God with our finances (vv. 9). And we are to welcome God’s discipline (v. 11). The reason God disciplines us is that we might live in a good relationship with Him and avoid the negative consequences of our sin. In fact, this discipline demonstrates God’s love for us. As today’s Scripture tells us, if He were not our Father, and if He didn’t love us, then He wouldn’t discipline us. So, while “no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful” (Heb. 12:11), God’s discipline is one more way He demonstrates His love toward us. God’s discipline “produces a harvest or righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” While it may seem counterintuitive, we should welcome God’s discipline for the good it is working in our lives. 

>> When we sin, we tend to hide. We cover up what we are doing, thinking that if no one else can see it, it isn’t really a problem. Sit before God today asking Him to reveal your hidden places and bring to light the sins from which you need to repent.