Thriving In a Season of Chastising, Part II

This is a continuation of last week's Beth Moore Bible Study from Life Today. I encourage the reader to look up every Bible reference.
2) Others are affected by our consequences. It’s difficult for those we love, for those who love us. We’ll have either one of two reactions. We’ll either go through denial (“Let’s just not talk about it”) or despair (spiral down). Once people realize you’re sorry, they’ll let you off the hook. If they do not, that’s not their job (to make you more miserable), so you just give them to Jesus, because once you repent, you’re clean. Believe God to work it all together for good. If you despair, the enemy wins.
3) The length of time the process can take. Hebrews 12:11a. “Later on” can sure feel late. Heb. 12:12-13a. “Strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees…make level your paths.” Jesus comes to redeem and restore. Full redemption. If the enemy gets you to say, “I’m done,” he’s won. The word “weak” can be translated “paralyzed,” and sometimes that’s how we feel, but Jesus says, “Rise up and walk with me through this.” We can know Him through times like these.
Job 4:3-5. Sometimes trouble comes to us after we’ve helped others, but then we can’t deal with our own trouble. When you think you’ve had it all together, it’s hard to handle trouble and consequences.
4) The embarrassment of some of the consequences. When you have a secret area out of control, God will whisper, “I’m warning you. This is about to get ugly.” Persistent secret sin will become public consequence, eventually. It’s His mercy, because it forces us to change.
How to get through this victoriously? Deal with it! Trust God to work through it with you.
1) Don’t take it lightly. Take it seriously. Hebrews 12:5a. Fear God. That fear is a good, healthy respect. God permits, persists, or ordains all things. Matthew 5:29-30. This is a radical physical expression used to convey a spiritual truth. Sometimes something in our life just has to GO! It’s a radical process of radical decisions. Determine that it’s not for you, and cut it off!