Stay True with Madison Pruitt Troutt
Episode: Is God Disciplining Me? with Grant Troutt
Release Date: July 7, 2025

In this deeply introspective episode of "Stay True with Madison Pruitt Troutt," host Madison engages in a profound conversation with her husband, Grant Troutt, addressing one of the most challenging and deeply personal questions believers may face: "Is God disciplining me?" Through a blend of personal anecdotes, biblical insights, and heartfelt discussions, Madison and Grant delve into understanding God's discipline, differentiating it from worldly suffering, and offering practical guidance for those navigating tough seasons in their lives.

1. Introduction to God's Discipline

Grant initiates the dialogue by posing the essential question:

"What is God's discipline, and why does God discipline us?"
[02:13]

Madison responds thoughtfully, clarifying that hardships aren't necessarily a result of personal wrongdoing but often stem from living in a broken world:

"Was the bad things that happened to you because you were bad? No. It's because we live in a broken world."
[01:03]

Key Insight: God's discipline isn't punishment but a manifestation of His love and desire for our growth.

2. Understanding the Nature of Divine Discipline

Grant elaborates on the concept, emphasizing that discipline signifies our identity as God's children:

"Discipline proves that we are God's children. It's not God's rejection towards us. It's actually proof that we belong to Him."
[01:08]

Madison reinforces this by highlighting that God's discipline is always corrective, aimed at restoring and nurturing our relationship with Him:

"He always disciplines out of correction to pull you back into his love. He never disciplines you out of anger."
[01:24]

Key Insight: Divine discipline is an expression of God's paternal love, contrasting human discipline that can sometimes stem from anger or frustration.

3. Personal Reflections on Parenting and God's Discipline

The conversation takes a personal turn as Madison and Grant discuss their experiences as parents. Grant shares how becoming a parent has deepened his understanding of patience, gentleness, and the fruits of the Spirit:

"I actually feel that I've stepped more into gentleness and kindness and in becoming a dad than I've ever been in my whole life."
[06:32]

Madison reflects on her own journey post-baby, grappling with physical changes and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with parenthood:

"It’s been ups and downs... God reminds me of what actually matters. And so I just have to keep going back to that."
[04:44]

Key Insight: Parenthood can serve as a microcosm for understanding divine discipline, teaching lessons of love, patience, and resilience.

4. Differentiating Between God's Discipline and Worldly Suffering

A significant portion of the episode focuses on distinguishing God's intentional discipline from random suffering caused by a broken world. Madison makes it clear that extreme adversities like death, rape, abuse, or neglect are not inflicted by God:

"She always disciplines out of correction... Death, rape, abuse, neglect. That is not from God."
[02:25]

Grant adds that such suffering results from the world's inherent brokenness and sin, not from God's direct actions:

"Look at death, you look at rape, you look at abuse, you look at neglect. That is not from God."
[10:25]

Key Insight: While God's discipline is purposeful and aimed at spiritual growth, worldly suffering arises from the pervasive brokenness and sin within the environment.

5. Biblical Foundations of Divine Discipline

Madison and Grant delve into scripture to provide a solid foundation for their discussion. They reference Hebrews 12, Revelation 3:19, and John 15:2 to illustrate the scriptural basis for understanding God's discipline:

• Hebrews 12:5-11 emphasizes that the Lord disciplines those He loves to foster holiness and righteousness.

• Revelation 3:19 echoes Jesus' words about disciplining and rebuking those He loves.

• John 15:2 uses the analogy of the vine and branches to explain how God prunes believers to bear more fruit.

Madison summarizes:

"The Lord disciplines those whom he loves. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons."
[16:09]

Key Insight: Biblical scriptures consistently portray God's discipline as an act of love and a means to cultivate believers' spiritual growth.

6. Practical Steps for Recognizing and Responding to Divine Discipline

The hosts offer listeners actionable advice on how to discern and respond to feelings of being disciplined by God:

1. Self-Examination: Assess whether current hardships stem from personal sin or from God's intentional discipline.

   "Am I in a season of discipline? Is there any sin in my life that I need to address and that I need to confess?"
   [56:00]

2. Prayer and Reflection: Engage in prayer asking God to reveal His purpose behind the current challenges.

   "Pray the prayer. Psalm 139 says, 'Search me, O God, and remove any offensive way in me...'"
   [56:10]

3. Trusting God's Character: Reaffirm faith in God's goodness and trust that His discipline aligns with His holy character.

   "Do not let it come from the Father of lies... His discipline always feels like love."
   [52:23]

Key Insight: Recognizing God's discipline requires a balance of introspection, prayer, and trust in God's unwavering love and righteousness.

7. Overcoming the Fear of Divine Discipline

Grant addresses the common fear associated with divine discipline, reassuring listeners of its benevolent nature:

"Scripture is clear that God does not give us a spirit of fear... his discipline is actually his kindness to us because we get to become and be made more holy and be made more like him."
[33:09]

Madison adds, emphasizing that fear and shame often stem from Satan's lies, not from God's true intentions:

"God's voice always feels like love. It may hurt, it may be hard. Always feels like it's his kindness that leads us to repentance."
[52:23]

Key Insight: Embracing God's discipline can transform fear into faith, viewing hardships as opportunities for spiritual refinement rather than sources of shame.

8. Concluding Encouragement and Scripture

In their final remarks, Madison and Grant encourage listeners to lean into their struggles, trusting that God is refining them for greater righteousness:

"Let this be just the start to going deeper in your faith. Let this be just the start to that conversation between you and God."
[61:40]

They conclude with Romans 8:38-39, affirming the inseparable love of Christ:

"For I am sure that neither death nor life... nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
[60:33]

Key Insight: Assurance of God's unwavering love provides comfort and strength, reaffirming that His discipline is a pathway to unbreakable fellowship with Him.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Madison Pruitt Troutt [01:03]:
  "Was the bad things that happened to you because you were bad? No. It's because we live in a broken world."

• Grant Troutt [01:08]:
  "Discipline proves that we are God's children. It's not God's rejection towards us. It's actually proof that we belong to Him."

• Madison Pruitt Troutt [16:09]:
  "The Lord disciplines those whom he loves. It is for discipline that you have to endure."

• Grant Troutt [33:09]:
  "God does not give us a spirit of fear... His discipline is actually his kindness to us because we get to become and be made more holy."

• Madison Pruitt Troutt [60:33]:
  "Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ."

Final Takeaways

• Divine Discipline as Love: God’s discipline is a profound expression of His love, intended to refine believers and draw them closer to Him.

• Distinction from Worldly Suffering: While God may allow hardships to foster growth, extreme suffering caused by human sin or the world's brokenness is not a direct act of divine discipline.

• Biblical Foundation: Scriptures provide a clear framework for understanding and embracing God's disciplinary actions as integral to spiritual maturity.

• Practical Steps: Self-examination, prayer, and trust in God's character are essential for discerning and responding to divine discipline.

• Overcoming Fear: Recognizing the loving intent behind God’s discipline transforms fear and shame into faith and resilience.

This episode serves as a beacon of hope and understanding for listeners grappling with the complexities of divine discipline. Through honest dialogue and scriptural wisdom, Madison and Grant offer a compassionate guide for navigating life's trials, ensuring that believers can stay true to their faith even amidst adversity.