My dog has been trained to always come back to me the instant I call or whistle. It’s taken a lot of work to get this response. And now he consistently listens for me and responds immediately—no matter what distraction is vying for his attention. Since I can trust him, I’m able to take him off his leash and let him run around and explore the fields and woodlands. In short, because he’s been properly trained and can be trusted even when facing temptation, he can enjoy his freedom.
Most people don’t train their dogs like this. They believe that training puts too much pressure on their pets and is somehow unkind. But their dogs never gain true freedom—remaining leashed their entire lives.
Believers in Jesus almost invariably want to progress in their spiritual walk. And yet, when encountering the trials of life, do we see difficult times as training and preparation, or do we ask God, “Why is this happening?” or cry out, “Please take this away”? The writer of Hebrews expressed that “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way” (Hebrews 12:11). Such trials prove the father heart of God and make for right living by His work in us (Hebrews 12:5-7,11).
It’s those who have spent time experiencing God’s discipline who are uniquely prepared to live out His ways before others. Only when we’ve been tested and refined are we then free to be let off our “leashes” and walk as mature believers.
How have we been reacting to God’s recent discipline? Freedom comes as we learn and grow in His loving, refining hands.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Exodus 40:1-38
More:
Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and Luke 12:31 and think about how seeking God and trusting in Him during difficult times can help us mature in our faith.
Next:
Are you facing a test or trial? Praise God for His faithful discipline. Is life easy? Praise God and display your gratitude to Him today!
don777 on February 17, 2017 at 5:35 am
Refining Fire it takes heat for the dross (me myself & i) to the top, for the refiner (GOD) to skim off (remove). It hurts but if we focus on Him & the end results (closer to God). I must decrease that He will increase. The word dross almost looks like Cross. Think about it. +>i 🙂
hsnpoor on February 18, 2017 at 8:59 am
Don, if you’ve never seen a silversmith at work, I so recommend you seek one out and watch what they do! Because this idea of burning off the dross is stated several times in scripture, a Bible study group I was in suggested someone investigate what this really looked like because none of us had any real life experience of the process. I volunteered and, if you’re really interested, you can read about the process. But the real pearl of wisdom I got from the experience was that, after watching the smithy repeat the same procedure over & over & over again, I finally asked how do you know when it’s done/finished? Answer: “when I can see my image in the silver”. Need I say more?
Gary Shultz on February 17, 2017 at 5:44 am
Hi Russell: It is indeed freeing to be trained, in a better sense, to listen to the Lord. Yes, intensive training was needed, it was painful for a long time and I didn’t listen as well as I should have. Some dogs are like that, we just make it a lot harder then it really should have been, you know those “hard heads”. I’m not sure life is easy, but it’s not bad, and if this is as bad as it gets, I have been blessed, extremely. So, I get up each day for some treats, I wag my tail and God pats on the head and throws the ball in a different direction. Well, we know life is a much different game for people than dogs, if we are “unleashed” God wants us to work with Him. To represent the good habits (life) of a true servant and to show that our Master is worthy. Our lives are to make a difference in the world we live, we are to be with people of faith and those who are not. And as Christ said, “you give them something to eat” we have work to do. Thanks Russell
hsnpoor on February 18, 2017 at 9:06 am
Your comment kind of sums up what’s wrong with the world. Sin has “unleashed” everyone and only a few are willing to be reattached to the loving owner. Matthew 7:13-14.
gagirllive on February 17, 2017 at 7:47 am
Well, some of the dogs I’ve encountered “unleashed” have not been properly trained by their masters, and I’m quite leery of them. I’ve had my share of run-ins with so-called “friendly” pets. Not pretty. (Sorry, dog-lovers…but that’s why I prefer cats) 🙂 Thankfully, God is a much better Master. And His training is perfect. Russell, I think keeping in mind that the goal of discipline is maturity is a very big part of enduring it. We tend to look for the easy way out instead of hunkering down with God and learning what He’s after in us. There are no by-passes. Also, not all discipline is correction— meaning it may not be because of something we’ve done wrong. Sometimes it’s His way of pruning us so that we can bear more fruit for Him. Either reason, the goal is maturity—becoming obedient, fruit-bearing children of God. And you’re so right, Russell, in leading us to see that with maturity comes freedom…a life “unleashed” for the glory of God. May we cooperate with our Master’s discipline of us today so that we might sing, “My chains are gone—I’ve been set free.” Hallelujah! Thanks for this encouragement, Russel. Happy weekend, fellow travelers. ♡
sandy229 on February 17, 2017 at 10:27 am
I’m with you GAgirl, I prefer cats too!! On our camping trips, some people bring their dogs, and the big dogs seem to be well trained, while the little tiny ones want to leave their mark everywhere. My cat is always so vocal when we return home, it’s annoying sometimes, but we love her. One time she brought a mouse home from next door and was playing with it outside, but kept getting distracted to groom herself, then she would wonder how the mouse got away. It seems like when we get distracted along our journey, God reminds us that we need to keep our focus on Him. We were going every weekend and got so busy with our jeep trails and camping, God sent me a reminder that I really needed. We were at Calico Ghost town and there was this fire grill that was open, and everyone was tripping over it because it was open. The reason they kept it open was because they couldn’t keep the fire going. I tried to tell them it was because the wood was too wet, but there wasn’t much we could do since it rained a couple of days before, anyway, I was sitting next to it and it was about 9:30 pm when I suddenly got up to get something for someone and I somehow tripped over it, not knowing it was there and just when I thought i had regained my stance and was safe….BAM……I was thrown to the ground like a body slam…..that’s how it felt anyway, but apparently, my shoe lace loop got caught in it. Ok, too late to make a long story short, but I ended up going to Urgent Care, they sent me to ER, I had to have surgery the next day, I fractured the neck of the femur right at the joint of my hip. Now I can’t go on anymore trails for 2 more months. He put 2 screws in my hip to hold the bone together where I broke it and said no weight on it for 6 weeks. I have 2 more weeks of this, but it has shown me that I was not spending enough time reading my Bible, and spending time with God like I used to. In 2 weeks I will be able to put partial weight on it for 6 more weeks. Sorry this is so long. I got distracted along the way, and God showed me that I needed to take time for Him like I used to.
gagirllive on February 17, 2017 at 11:33 am
Sandy, my friend! So good to hear from you! You’ve been missed. My goodness! What an ordeal you’ve described here. Not sure if it was God pulling you back in line, but you know in your heart what you “heard” from Him through the experience. By all means, do respond in obedience. 🙂 He can certainly use any and everything to guide us back into fellowship…and I’m so glad He does. It’s the safest place to be. I guess we are like that little sheep that the Shepherd has to break his legs and carry Him on His shoulders. Too bad that has literally happened to you! 🙂 Enjoy the peaceable fruit of righteousness that has resulted in you through this, sister. Praying for a speedy and full recovery for you and the sweetness of our Lord’s fellowship! ♡
sandy229 on February 17, 2017 at 12:58 pm
Thank you sister 🙂 I know God didn’t cause this to happen, but He allowed it to happen I think because He was trying to get my attention, and He did.
gagirllive on February 17, 2017 at 4:16 pm
Haha…yes, sometimes we just need a good old-fashioned spanking, don’t we? I know I do. 🙂
sandy229 on February 17, 2017 at 4:25 pm
Yes, we do, it was like He was saying to me, “Well do I have your attention now?”
gagirllive on February 17, 2017 at 4:28 pm
You know, our Master’s discipline is quite gentle…considering what we truly deserve.
sandy229 on February 17, 2017 at 5:16 pm
Oh Yeah, that’s so true!
sandy229 on February 17, 2017 at 10:37 am
Disciplines describes corrective discipline used in training a child. Such treatment is administered not harshly, but in love, with the well-being of the child in mind. Instead of becoming discouraged, the readers should view their persecutions as evidence of God’s love for them as His children, bringing them to spiritual maturity. The writer does not suggest that God is responsible for the sufferings that hostile sinners bring upon them, but he does indicate that God uses even adverse circumstances as instruments to accomplish His purpose. So we should look at nothing but Jesus, the one who began and will complete our faith and embrace God’s training through discipline. It will produce peace and righteousness.
hsnpoor on February 18, 2017 at 9:34 am
Well, unlike GG & Sandy, I am a doggie person and a small dog person to boot! I’ve got a 10 pounder & a 25 pounder and they are both very well trained. If they weren’t, they’d be dead. Although, as I write this, the little one wants attention and keeps hitting my keyboard. I’m not trying to blow my own horn, but dogs are very much a representation of their owners, unlike children. I’m sure there are some dogs that have a rebellious nature or life experiences that have marred them, but even that can be trained out of a dog, witness the dog whisperer (I think Ceasar Milan is truly gifted). I don’t think the same can be said of human children, because there is a very marked difference between the make up of an animal and the make up of a child. I’m not sure how or why I went off on this tangent. This is not what I started to write and now I can’t remember what that was. Oh well….. But, with God, all things are possible, especially with consistent, earnest prayer.
P.S. Sandy, just because the doctors have given you a timeline, don’t treat it like it’s chiseled in stone. Listen to your body and maybe consider that your off-roading days may need to morph into a less taxing, but just as engaging, new & different pastime. Just a thought….
sandy229 on February 18, 2017 at 12:06 pm
Oh I know it’s not written in stone, but still, I will just have to take more measures to be safe, and be more aware of my surroundings. I still believe God is leading me to this group of people to share His love with them. I mean we met the President and founder of this 2nd club we belong to at Pep Boys of all places, but we had never been to this one, it was in Hesperia, and we have one in Victorville, so why go there? That day, Terry needed some water cans for the jeep, and we went to the one in VV, and found out it was not an extended store, they were only a body shop, so we asked where we could find the water cans, and he told us to go to the one in Hesperia, but we didn’t want to go an extra 5 miles to this store, so we went to 2 other places to find this, and no one had it, they all told us to go to the one in Hesperia, so finally we did. Just as we drove up, this guy came over and started talking to us, and right way, I felt like God led us to be there at the same time Matt was there. I remember him saying something about the Pastor said something. Can’t remember what it was, but the point I am trying to make is that I really believe God led us to this group for a reason, and I really believe He wants us to be with them. Besides, try and take Terry away from jeeping? Not gunna happen, once you get into this, you realize it’s more than just rock crawling, it’s fellowship with the ones God is leading us to.
hsnpoor on February 18, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Well, our Father knows best and if that’s what He’s telling you, who am I to argue….. Can you wrap yourself in bubble wrap on these trips…:)? Maybe I should call them outings, instead of trips (sorry; I couldn’t help myself)…:)
sandy229 on February 18, 2017 at 12:22 pm
LoL, Terry is all for bubble wrap, He even found some clothes online that are made from bubble wrap, but there is no way I am wearing those!!! I will be careful and be more aware of my surroundings. I kept saying that it would have been helpful if I had known ahead of time that at least 4 other people tripped over the grill before I did, it would have been nice to know, and everyone was saying, oh yeah I tripped in the same place. So to him, it’s like I am blaming them, but I am not, it was just kind of a joke, but now I realize how bad it sounds so I won’t say it anymore.
sandy229 on February 18, 2017 at 12:09 pm
What you said about your little doggy being at your keyboard reminds me of Shadow. She will try to sit between me and the keyboard, and if I tell her to move, she will move over, but then she extends her paw to my face and tries to move it to look at me, so I can relate to that.
hsnpoor on February 18, 2017 at 12:19 pm
Oh, that’s cute! I keep my face as far away from Fluffy as possible because when she was just a couple of months old, I got in her face and she put her paw up to my face and her nail scratched my eyeball. Nothing cute about that experience and I stay clear of those paws like poison.