How are you at correction?

“Fathers do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Ephesians 6:4

Strengths & Weaknesses

A friend reminded me over breakfast one morning that, excluding Faith, men typically have two areas in which they are stronger and two in which they are weaker regarding MD5. You may be stronger at managing your finances, better at taking care of your health, or more intentional with your friendships. My weakest area was Family. The whole MD5 process proved to be a wake-up call in many areas of my life, but especially here. It led me to make intentional changes.

The Process 

Nevertheless, over time, we find ourselves slipping back into old patterns (me especially) when things get stressful or a new life stage hits. We lose intentionality, we begin to drift, and we move further away from our life plan. How often has this occurred in our own spiritual lives in our walk with Christ? When the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, do we not follow in repentance? We notice we have slacked off in our spiritual disciplines, prompting us to course-correct and allow the Holy Spirit to move us to action. This is part of the process of sanctification.

Seasons

The same is true in other areas of MD5, even those we may do well in for a season of life. I am learning that just because I am physically present at all their activities does not mean I am exhorting, teaching, and loving my children to point them back to Christ. My pastor recently preached on Father’s Day and referenced the often-quoted passage from Ephesians 6:4. It convicted me of how my words come across to my children. How often do I “think” I am helping them with my words when all they hear is criticism? We all see communication that, although well-intentioned, definitely does not accomplish what the speaker intended. So how do I course-correct? By going back to the standards of Scripture and adjusting my life plan for new seasons of life. “Major on the majors and minor on the minors” — Kevin Hartman.

Take an Honest Look

Our life plans are living documents, unlike those Ronco Rotisserie ovens on infomercials decades ago that would tell you to “set it and forget it!” Take an honest look at the family section of your life plan today. Ask God how you are doing in this area, and then course-correct as needed.

John Gore

MD5 Facilitator