Travails Of The Righteous -By Joe Dauda

Just in case you did not know, if God loves you, you are in trouble. My big brother from another mother, Mr Isaac, once enunciated that concept in his own words. I have always believed that. And here is the biblical foundation.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

Summary: in order to ensure that we make it to His everlasting kingdom, God takes us through hard times to literally compel us to adjust our ways.

This explains why a real nigger will do a lot of bad things and get away with it. But when a child of God attempts to do the same, he gets caught, disgraced, and punished. Remember David. Somehow, Uriah refused to go to his house — and that was why David got caught.

Love is the reason for this divine protocol. God is hard on His children because He is a strategic thinker. He knows that the final destination is all that matters. At the end, any child of God who endures the discipline that God imposes will be glad with joy unspeakable.

This is why faith and patience are necessary for the narrow way.

Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Please note that the chastisement of God does not have to be financial challenges, or sickness, or bereavement (like in the case of David). God has a thousand and one ways of bringing distress on the human mind. For example, when wise king Solomon needed to be disciplined, God basically empowered his enemies to harass him. Kings that used to be submissive to Solomon, after being humbled on the battlefield by King David, suddenly found the courage to rebel against him. So God may use varying means of making life less splendid for you when He needs to get your attention. Again, it is all motivated by love because, except He mercifully interrupts you in such situations, you may be on your way to eternal damnation. So He puts impediments on your way, hoping you will become sober enough to change course. The good news is that the same God can change your situation through a sweet miracle, once you have learned the lesson.

Jesus Christ sums it all up in His rebuke to the Church of Laodicea:

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

No need to pretend that chastening is fun. Even the Bible admits that chastening is unpalatable.

Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:

But AFTERWARD that chastening could be a blessing, as stated in the latter part of the above scripture:

Hebrews 12:11
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless AFTERWARD it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Blessed be the name of the LORD!