Hearty Love

The believer is never in trouble with God! Everything he goes through is for learning, and never punishment; “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth” (Heb 12:6). Chastening out of love is God’s way, and not out of man’s anger, for they “chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness” (Heb 12:10).

There is now a new way of everything, especially a permanent “desire” only for God’s “good pleasure” (Phl 2:13). This means you will ever be after pleasing God more than anything, thus you will be learning His will concerning everything (2Ti 2:7). Our “old man” continues to distract us (Ro 7:17, 20), but God guides and enables us, through His Word, to learn how to respond to whatever we encounter (give it time). After all, there’s nothing that can happen unto you that He doesn’t “work together” for your “good” (Ro 8:28); and this isn’t dependent upon how you feel or what you think about it—because it’s His love for His Son and those who are His that He unfailingly directs.

Now that “He made us accepted in the Beloved” (Eph 1:6), we are treated as a child loved by the Father, and having a “new man” or new nature, He knows our primary desire is His will. The sin is now unintended and impulsive, instead of on purpose and “presumptuous” (Num 15:30; Heb 10:26). Even when we’re angry for the wrong reason, He always brings us to the right mind—His mind—about everything. Of course He would—as a Father who loves His child! Not to punish, but just to teach.

There will never be a time where God frowns on you, because He knows that in everything you’re doing, you’re trying to please Him and give Him joy. This is what counts and is what He takes to heart. In all this, it is most comforting to know that we know God knows this!
NC
 
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