Lydia laughed as her pastor shared how he was disciplined in his youth for misbehavior. “Knucklehead,” she thought jokingly, “Why didn’t you just obey?”
But Lydia should have been asking herself the same question. You see, behind all that laughter, Lydia was angry at God.
Lydia was a regular church attendee. She volunteered with the Christmas pageant. She tithed regularly, and tried to treat others like she wanted to be treated. Yet, Lydia found herself in another trial and she didn’t like it. “Why is God allowing this?” She’d ask in secret. “What have I done to deserve this? When will it end?”
Frustrated that there seemed to be no answers, Lydia gradually became angry at God. She stopped praying, she stopped reading her Bible, and she began to cringe inside at the mention of His name. She felt her good works weren’t paying off, so she wasn’t doing them anymore. Yet, Galatians 6:9 says, weary not in well doing for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.
To disobey the Word in the midst of the fire is a definite no-no! It will only cause her to be thrown back in the fire, time and time again, until she brings forth righteousness.
I think of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were thrown in the fiery furnace. The Lord was with them in the furnace and they came out with more honor than when they went in. While Lydia harbors anger toward God, He is still with her, in the fire, waiting to bring her out with more honor. This is His way.
Surprisingly, Lydia is not alone. Many people are angry at God and have fallen away, or are slipping away from the fold. God loves them and wants them to understand. Proverbs 4:7 reads in part, …with all thy getting get understanding. Here is but a drop of understanding.
God’s love through discipline.
In 2004, I discovered a wonderful book about God’s discipline. Not many people like to discuss discipline, even so, God chastens those He loves (Deut. 8:5; Heb. 12:6-7). The book, "Secrets of the Vine," by Bruce Wilkinson (author of "Prayer of Jabez") provides understanding and freedom—freedom from
anger toward God. It will enlighten readers and produce an appreciation of God’s expression of love through discipline.
I am the vine, you are the branches. John 15:5 (NKJV)
In Biblical times, vineyards were a sign of prosperity and God’s provision. The disciples understood that pruning (cutting away, purging) is a grower’s single most important technique for ensuring a harvest of large, juicy grapes. Without pruning, the grapevine will instinctively produce more leaves than grapes. But it’s a grape vine, so the grower wants more grapes (fruit) than leaves. Likewise, God wants more substantive spiritual growth from us and less fluff (outward piety and prideful appearance of righteousness).
For Christians, the leaves represent preoccupations and priorities that are either out of season for us, or they are in God’s permissive will instead of His perfect will for us. Without pruning, we will only live up to a fraction of our full potential. Without discipline, our harvest will look green, leafy and luscious from a distance, but up close, where’s the fruit?
God wants the grapes (substance) not the leaves! Moreover, He does not want small, underdeveloped grapes—He wants them big, full and juicy.
Your attitude determines your altitude.
Most of us have heard the adage, Your attitude determines your altitude. I have found it to be true in both the spiritual and physical realms.
My first real job was with the Government (1986). I had studied journalism in college, but couldn’t find work in that field. So, at the age of 22, I took a job as a secretary. I was a lousy secretary! My boss told me so. I didn’t understand about typing within the margins, so I would type right off the paper. I would try to get all the words on one page and tell her to put her signature on the back somewhere. Format meant nothing to me.
We used carbon copies back then, and I always made a terrible mess with the different colored white-outs. She considered replacing me, but decided against it. WHY? Because she liked my attitude. A good attitude afforded me free training on computers, layout, design and more. In fact, my boss would send me away for an hour a day to be mentored by the top secretaries in the organization. Why? Because she liked my attitude.
By the end of my six-year tenure (1992), I was one of the top secretaries in the organization and I was mentoring other secretaries. I used the training in layout and design to start First Lady Magazine that same year (’92). A positive response to correction and reproof changed my life.
Respond positively to God’s discipline and pruning.
For children and adults, there are con-sequences for consistent misbehavior. We learn that from our parents, we learn that from the justice system, we learn that from the Lord. When our lifestyle does not conform to God’s Word—when a Christian lives a lifestyle of sin—discipline is in order.
Jesus said, I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:1-2 (NKJV)
So, Jesus is the Vine, God is the Vinedresser, and each Christian is a branch—a representative of the Vine (John 15:1-2 & 5).
If a branch bears no fruit, God will take it away (probably to the shed for discipline). However, even a branch that bears fruit may be purged (pruned). Purging changes our priorities and direction. It causes us to stop and re-evaluate ourselves, our motives and intents, our purpose in the Lord. Whether we are being disciplined to purge sin, or pruned for a fuller harvest, either way, we must change. Respond positively to the Lord in this season. Don’t be like fictitious Lydia and become angry at God. That will only cause you to sin and endure more discipline.
What becomes of the angry Christian?
The angry Christian is welcomed home. God loves each and every one of us. Remember, where sin is, grace does much more abound! (Romans 5:20) Go to your heavenly Father and repent. Confess why you have been angry at Him (lack of understanding, foolish pride, whatever) and ask for forgiveness. It will do wonders toward restoring your relationship. Why? Because you will have taken a step in the right direction by exhibiting the fruit of humility. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:11)
In Conclusion...
No Christian is exempt from God’s expression of love through discipline. It is an outpouring of parental love. Submit and change! Like Lydia said about her pastor, “why not just obey?” <>
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