Last Friday I mentioned painful lessons and how we remember them. There’s also something to be said for accepting the consequences of our choices. When my girls were young, a child psychologist told our PTA group the best way to raise responsible, level-headed kids was to allow them to live with the consequences of their actions. For instance, if they get up too late to catch the bus, don’t swoop in and save them by driving them to school; let them walk. A lot of people today would call that cruel and humiliating, but in many ways it’s a kindness. Is a boss going to make allowances for late arrivals to work? Not likely. If we never suffer the consequences of our choices, we never learn to make better choices. God, as the ultimate loving Father, understands the long-term good of consequences. He knows what we need to learn and the best way for us to gain wisdom. When He exacts judgment, it’s never out of pettiness or spite or uncontrolled fury—it’s out of His love and faithfulness. And I am a strong believer that He does not waste any of our lessons. Some good will grow from every conflict when we are committed to obeying Him. Trust Him. He’s a good, good Father.