Sometimes, when you hear the voice of God, it can still open your heart to Him despite the reprimand. In any case, I prefer God’s reprimand to His silence. If a Christian only wants to hear sweet things from God but never wants to hear His reprimand, he or she will eventually stop hearing His voice. You should be happy when God reprimands you because Hebrews 12:6 says that it is the child whom the father loves that he chastens. When David was reprimanded in 2 Samuel 12:1-14, he did not harden his heart, but he repented, and God continued to walk with him.

How do you react when you hear a reprimand from your pastor? Do you harden your heart or do you immediately proceed to correction? No matter the influence of a believer in ministry or how gifted he is in the Holy Spirit, if such a person hardens his heart against God’s reprimand, God may reject such a believer (1 Samuel 16:1). Psalm 51:17 says:

“The sacrifices that are pleasing to God are a broken spirit: O God! You do not despise a broken and contrite heart.”

If you want God to continue walking with you and speaking to you, you must have a broken spirit and a contrite heart. God is not moved by mere religious activity; He is more interested in a relationship with you. However, just as it is impossible to have a good relationship with someone you cannot correct when they offend you, God will not dwell with individuals with hardened hearts. He said in Isaiah 57:15:

“For thus says the Most High, whose dwelling is eternal and whose name is holy: I dwell in high and holy places, but I am with the contrite and humble, to revive the spirits of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite.”

Beloved, when God reproves you, whether through His word, through another believer, or directly from Himself, never harden your heart. Hardening your heart against His reprimand will only lead to destruction, as Proverbs says:

“A man who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing.” Proverbs 29:1

Do not despise God’s reprimand; rather, embrace His correction as evidence of His love for you.

This text is an excerpt from the book “The Open Heavens 2024: A Daily Guide to Intimate Communion with God 2024” written by Enoch A. Adeboye.

We invite you to read the following article “SEEING BEYOND THE FATHERS.“