It's difficult sometimes, but God's love for us cannot be separated from His discipline or us as His beloved sons.

I remember my children's reaction to discipline when they were small. Often they couldn't figure out why they were told not to do certain things so they tested us and did them anyway. Needless to say, they had to be corrected. Discipline is never easy to take at the time, but in the long run it gave them a sense of security in knowing they had loving parents who cared enough for their well-being and their development to correct them and put them on the right track.

Likewise, the temporary pain of God's discipline is never easy at the time. His "sting" can keep us awake at night, crying repenting and full of sorrow for our sin. Sometimes it's so heavy that we want to run from Him so that it won't happen again!

Beloved, don't run! Know that you are forgiven, corrected and the incident is over. Rest securely in the fact that He only disciplines those who are accepted as His sons! You will awaken the next day to find that the benefits of His correction have far outweighed the temporary pain.

"Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but grievous; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11, NKJV).

Find joy in the fact that Your Father loves you too much to let harmful habits or behaviors go uncorrected. He is preparing you to spend eternity with Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the security and rest that comes from knowing that You care enough to shape me into the image of Your Son. I thank You that You have given me the strength not to run, but to stick with You through this...to learn and to grow. In Jesus' Name, Amen.