I recall reading about the sad story of a young man. He was reprimanded for his dismal performance in exams, but he took that wrongly. He went and hung himself. That was a proof that people are becoming more averse to rebuke, and it is the reason why there is a continuous decline in societal morals. In our previous meditation, we emphasized how important it is to avoid sin. God cannot bless a sinner, or else He would be encouraging people to go on in sin. More specifically, we noted that there are just two ways to relate to sin; that is, don’t commit it; and if you do, confess it. Here is the point: when we sin and confess, we are immediately forgiven. But that may not be without consequences. God may apply chastening as a way of training us in the way of righteousness.

Every sin that is confessed will be forgiven; but it leaves its scar behind…But if we are chastened, we must understand that it is a proof of God’s love, and that we are being groomed for blessing.

Consider it another way. If a man sustains a wound in any part of his body, there are internal mechanisms to heal him. However, the healing may not necessarily remove the scar that is left behind. It will be foolhardy, then, for a man to keep taking on injury simply because he would be healed anyway. He will soon find out he has disfigured himself through several scars. So it is with sin. Every sin that is confessed will be forgiven; but it leaves its scar behind. David’s sin with Bathsheba was forgiven; but he carried the consequences for a long while. This is why we said yesterday that the best treatment for sin is not to commit it at all. But if we are chastened, we must understand that it is a proof of God’s love, and that we are being groomed for blessing.