Sanctification & Discipline

The concept of sanctification, discipline and holiness is this: God wants to accomplish something in disciplining us. He wants to conform us to the image of Christ that He brings a purposeful discipline into our lives, He brings training into our lives through difficulty. There are many people who never see past the pain because they’re self-absorbed, they’re self-centered, they’re caught up in their own comfort.

We may despise it instead of embracing it. Romans 9:18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

People who claim to have this great faith to believe Jesus can make them rich, and these people who come and want Jesus to fix all of their problems and demonstrate a kind of faith. From my experiences, I can see there are serious casualties to life’s real issues. When they don’t get it, they get angry or fustrated or bitter which leads to despise. Because they misjudge and failed to consider to the real purpose and scope of what is happening. That’s “hardening against God.” Instead of "RESPONDING IN FAITH", they complain:

“Why is this happening? Why is this happening?

Why are You doing this? Why me? Why me?”

Those kinds of attitude miss the purpose of God in the chastening and leads to greater chastening. BANG!!!!
Wake up call.

Many Christians take trials with despair and despondency, others despise them, some feel God is far off. Instead of trust, doubt comes. Instead of quietness, turmoil comes. Instead of contentment, resentment comes. Instead of hope—knowing God is perfecting us, that the testing of our patience has a perfect work—instead of hope and giving of thanks, thoughts of bitterness arise toward God.

As I said earlier, trials (of all kinds) are often a two-sided coin. One side trials may be viewed as coming from God to bring out the BEST in us (See: Gen. 22:1-2, 15-18; Hebrews 11:17). On the other side of the coin, Satan attempts to tempt us and trials to bring out the WORST in us (see: James 1:13-14).