In the Old Testament God marked His priests by putting blood on their right ear, their right thumb, and the big toe of their right foot. It was a sign that they were called to honour God in their hearing, their actions, and their daily walk. And it’s something we need to remember too. We can’t just do our own thing, because we’re called to walk according to God’s Word. When we don’t, God calls us to repent. And if we don’t repent, He’ll discipline us. ‘Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves’ (Hebrews 12:5-6 NIV). Let’s take a closer look at two important phrases in that Scripture: 1) ‘Do not make light of the Lord’s discipline.’ We need to take God’s discipline seriously. If we have the attitude of ‘Nobody’s going to tell me what to do,’ we miss out on His wisdom and guidance, and prevent Him from using us effectively. ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble’ (James 4:6 NIVUK). 2) ‘Do not lose heart when he rebukes you.’ Instead of seeing God’s correction as rejection, we should see it as proof that we’re His children, that He wants the best for us and from us, and that His plan for us begins when we humble ourselves and do what He says. King Ahab ‘sinned against the LORD more than any of his predecessors’ (1 Kings 16:30 GNT), but when he humbled himself and was truly sorry for what he’d done, God was merciful with him. Humbling ourselves before God will turn things around in our lives when nothing else will work.

What Now?

If you’ve struggled to accept God’s correction, spend a bit of time asking Him to help you be humble before Him and allow His will to be your life’s guide.