“Thank you for leading me to repentance,” I told the Lord.
I had been going through quite a fiery trial concerning a certain situation and the really tough and challenging way some people had been treating me, but I have long since learned other people’s wrongdoing and their need to be held accountable by the Lord does not justify our not taking responsibility for our own sin and repenting.
Not only did the Lord blessedly give me love and forgiveness for those people, but He lovingly and mercifully albeit firmly and sternly showed me my own wrongdoing and led me to repentance.
Why would I be thankful? Repentance doesn’t feel very good to say the least. The answer is clearly revealed in these verses
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “MY SON, DO NOT DESPISE THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD, NOR BE DISCOURAGED WHEN YOU ARE REBUKED BY HIM; FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:5-11 NKJV