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Day 137, or May the 17th. God disciplines those He loves.

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Our thoughts today are rooted in Job chapter 5 verse 17.

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Blessed is the one whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

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Now the big picture surrounding this verse.

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This passage contains the first exchanges between Job and his friend Eliphaz the Temanite,

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who makes it very clear that he believes if you're innocent you won't suffer.

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Job has obviously done something wrong, so he should just accept what happens to him

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because he deserves it.

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He advises Job to simply trust God, as God obviously knows best every time.

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Job challenges Eliphaz to show him the sins for which he is being punished, and then he

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will be silent.

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Eliphaz can't reveal them because he can't find any, but it doesn't stop him probing

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and prodding and criticizing Job.

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He continues by pompously telling Job that there's nothing wrong with being punished

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by God, he should stop complaining and take it on the chin, like a man.

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And now today's action step.

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I don't know anyone who enjoys being punished, especially when they protest their genuine

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innocence.

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However, this is the advice I pass on to you from the mouth of Eliphaz, one of Job's friends.

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Benefit from your punishment and grow because of it.

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Don't let it be a barrier where you fall, but see it as a step of maturity so you can

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grow because of it.

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There will definitely be times in the coming days when you are condemned unjustly, so I

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challenge you now to make this negative into a positive.

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Ask yourself how to get something out of the experience rather than allow the experience

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to take something away from you.

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Ask God to teach you so that you may be a beneficiary.

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You will discover a massive side benefit as you become much more useful and effective

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when you see others going through similar difficulties.

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Whether it is a physical, spiritual or mental issue, squeeze benefit from it and then get

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ready for the next one.