There are stories in the Bible where God sees the sin of people. He then sends someone or something to speak to them. He tells them of coming destruction and calamity. He tells them that things are about to go really bad if they don't repent and turn. And they do-they turn. They seek forgiveness. They seek God and His ways and God relents of His coming judgment. It happened with Jonah and Nineveh. It happened several times to the nations of Israel and Judah. God reveals Himself. Typically someone or some group recognizes their sin and repents. They call others to repent. And God doesn't bring the calamity and destruction. That happens- it still happens today. God takes away the calamity and destruction. This can happen in a 1,000 different ways, but it is God's grace and we don't deserve it.
But here is the one that is every bit as beautiful, yet we would rather not go through it. It is God's restoration. There are many more times in the Bible that I can point to that show this. The children of Israel not going into the promised land but having to wait 40 years. The entire book of Judges is a cycle of God not relenting but bringing discipline because of sin and then restoring Israel. David, many times in his life saw this happen. The Babylonian exile of the nation of Judah. Those are just some of the times God brought discipline in some form, but then worked in His people to purify and cleanse them, then restored them.
That is my story! That is my path! Let me say this- I wish I had the first story. I wish I had taken God's call to repent early on and not had the consequences and discipline that God rightly brought. I wish, but I can't change the past...unless someone has a time machine I can borrow. I want to change it all, less for myself and more for the people affected by my choices.
Not being able to change the past leads me to this next thought. I'm grateful for the discipline of the LORD. It is one of the most beautifully messy things I have ever taken part in. It is something (since I can't change the past) that I would not change. After my sin, if God had relented all the consequences and discipline, I would have missed out. I would have missed out on seeing God's beautiful forgiveness played out in so many people toward me. I would have missed out on the faith that He is building in me (and my family) because of the current place He has us. I would have missed out on the refining work He is doing in my character, which is very painful, but the pain pales in comparison to the beauty it is producing.
We don't like discipline, Hebrews tells us no one likes it, but we need it...I need it. The restoration God is bringing is unbelievable! It is a full restoration. I don't mean full as in I will get back everything I forfeited. Honestly, I'm not sure what the other side of this looks like (that's the faith it is growing in us). It is full because God doesn't do anything halfway. When He restores, it brings fullness of joy. It may look different than it did before, BUT it is every bit as good...actually it is better. It is better because the character God births in His children through discipline makes us more like Him...and that is better! It is ALWAYS better. It is purer! It is refined! It looks more like Him. And that is the goal- to look more like Him.
A warning that is followed by our turning back to God, shows that we are listening and following God. That is when God relents. BUT when we need to become more like God, He does not relent. He brings discipline and consequences. And if we then turn to Him, He restores and molds our character to His character. If we are not like Him, He will do whatever it takes to make us more like Him. That is my story! It is messy and hard and not fun, BUT since I can't change the past, I gladly accept it.
My challenge is accept whatever comes from the LORD. Answer His call quickly, so that He can relent. But if He has to bring discipline, accept it. Learn from it. Know that He is doing something in you that will be amazing! Trust Him!!
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