The Quill and Me—Devotional Blog•Oswald Chambers Reflections
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Aug 14
Today's Reading: My Utmost for His Highest
Hebrews 12:5
"My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him"
The Gentle Discipline of God
Sanctification is God’s loving work of making us holy,
shaping us to reflect Christ, one surrender at a time.
Rebuked by Him...
Rebuked by the Lord Almighty. How do we feel when the Lord rebukes us?
We should feel valued that He loves us enough to care. Valued enough to save us. Loved enough to give us His time and favor. Rebuked because He wants to make us holy and sanctified. We should be so grateful that we are here in this moment.
So, whatever the costs, we must allow Him to shape us. We must accept His chastisements. We must let the Lord get us to that place where we can be fully sanctified by Him. It is not our idea of what we want but His idea of what He wants to do for us. If we will allow Him to get our mind and spirit in a place where we will accept His rebukes and chastisements... whatever the costs may be.
When the Spirit gives us a sense of warning or restraint, do not say to yourself, 'Oh, that must be from the enemy." The enemy is not inside of you, the enemy cannot give you a sense of warning. It is the Holy Spirit which lives within you, do not despise the disciplining of the Lord.
Do not grieve the Spirit. Do not become discouraged when He rebukes you. We are being set apart. Made holy. By sanctification. It is a process. It takes time. It takes both you and Him working together. You accepting rebuke from Him and Him sanctifying you. This too shall pass. This too is a season of learning.
Let Him have His way with you.
Allow Him to put you in the right place of fellowship with God.
You must be in a position to receive discipline, react with the proper attitude of acceptance, let it grow you. Whatever the cost, it is worth it. Do you want to go backwards? At this time, in this moment, do you really want to go backwards?
No. We do not want to go backwards. We do not want to live without the Holy Spirit teaching us things. We do not want to go back to the days before we were saved, before we were surrendered, when things were barren and dark and our lives a mess. Never.
So, what is a little discipline, might I say?
My mama used to line us up and one of us went to the switch bush and got a "good one" all the leaves peeled off of it, strong, and long... and she switched our legs, we would be jumping up and down from the pain... and we bore the scars of it for days, wearing pants instead of shorts for days in the hot southern Arkansas weather. That was quite humiliating and painful; awful. But we endured it.
I would say that was worse than the discipline from the Lord. It was physical... and it physically hurt and bled, maybe it was needed, I guess. There was four of us and when one of us got it, we all got it. The Lord's disciplining is nothing like that at all.
He is gentle and kind in all of his dealings with us. And it is very necessary, no doubt about it. Our hearts may bleed a little but it will be silent and only we know about it. It is not something anyone else has to know about. But one day, they will see the results of it in our life. As we stand strong for the Lord and reflect a life of Christ. The discipline of the Holy Spirit will get us to that day.
Standing tall and strong, fierce and loyal, knowing we are loved, and loving Him in return.
Receive the discipline.
Be sanctified and true—whatever the cost.
Selah.
Prayer
Lord,
Teach me not to despise Your discipline,
nor to shrink back when You rebuke me.
Your correction is kindness,
Your restraint is mercy,
and Your sanctifying work is love.
Give me a willing heart — soft, surrendered,
ready to receive whatever You know I need.
Shape my thoughts, steady my steps,
purify my motives, and make me true.
Let Your gentle discipline produce strength, loyalty,
and holiness in me.
I trust Your hand.
I trust Your heart.
Sanctify me, Lord —
whatever the cost.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
~ Quil
Supporting Scriptures
1. Hebrews 12:7–11
The continuation of the anchor verse — explains why God disciplines His children.
2. 1 Thessalonians 5:19
“Do not quench the Spirit.”
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
Sanctification is God’s work — not ours.
4. Proverbs 3:11–12
The Old Testament parallel to Hebrews 12:5. Shows God disciplines those He loves.
5. Revelation 3:19
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.”
6. Psalm 141:5
“Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness.”
7. John 16:8
The Holy Spirit convicts — not the enemy.
8. Romans 8:13–14
The Spirit leads us into holiness and away from sin.
9. James 1:2–4
Trials and discipline produce maturity.
10. Hebrews 12:10
“He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.”
Verses that match my personal reflections
11. Psalm 51:6–7
God desires truth in the inward parts — correction leads to cleansing.
12. Psalm 119:67, 71
“Before I was afflicted I went astray… It is good for me that I have been afflicted.”
13. Isaiah 64:8
“We are the clay, and You our potter.”
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