Important Truths You Need to Know About God’s Discipline
I’m having a hard time writing this. I scheduled it on my editorial calendar, but when it came time to start writing, I almost changed my mind.
No one likes to think about God’s discipline and we like talking about it even less.
The writer of the letter to the Hebrews shared the following truth…
No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
Hebrews 12:11
It’s typical for people to think of discipline and punishment as synonyms but the truth is the words training, education, and preparation are better word equivalents when we’re talking about God’s discipline. Parents, teachers, and coaches use discipline to help children learn so that they might reach their goals and achieve success.
Solomon wrote…
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Proverbs 1:1–3 (CSB)
For learning wisdom and discipline;
for understanding insightful sayings;
for receiving prudent instruction
in righteousness, justice, and integrity.
That’s what our Heavenly Father wants for us. He wants us to live with wisdom in righteousness, justice, and integrity because He knows that’s the only way we can experience the good things He wants for us.
So sometimes, God lets us live through the consequences of our poor choices to help us learn to live according to His will in the future.
Solomon gave us the following wise counsel…
My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline,
Proverbs 3:11–12
and don’t be upset when He corrects you.
For the Lord corrects those He loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights.
God disciplines us because He loves us!
The Life Application Bible Notes say…
“Discipline sounds negative to many people because some disciplinarians are not loving. God however is the source of all love. He doesn’t punish us because He enjoys inflicting pain but because … He knows that in order for us to become morally strong and good, we must learn the difference between right and wrong.”
I’ll admit that I didn’t like getting disciplined as a child and I’m still not a fan of living out the discipline of hard life lessons now. But KNOWing I can trust my Father’s love and His good plans and purposes for discipline … well, I can’t say that makes me a fan but it does make me know it’s for my good and leading me to a better future.
So, these are words to remember…
The Lord disciplines those He loves.
I’ve shared in the past that my Confirmation verse is Revelation 3:20…
See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to Him and eat with Him, and He with me.
Verse 19 says this…
As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent.
Revelation 3:19
That’s the truth about God’s discipline.
Our loving Father disciplines us because He wants us to repent … humbly confessing our need for and faith in Him.
And when we do…
He is with us—even through discipline.
And with His help, we don’t sit in self-pity or pout that life’s not fair … we focus on the goal. We grow in faith and in our desire to obey Him. Like an athlete training to win the prize, we focus on Jesus, the “author and perfector of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) He shows us the way because He is the Way.
May we humbly repent when we go through God’s discipline and remain focused on Jesus confidently trusting that He is with us to help us remain on the path of life.
Let’s pray…
A Prayer for the Right Attitude
About God’s Discipline
Father God, I need You. I want to obey Your will perfectly and yet, as hard as I try, I know I don’t. I’m so very sorry, Lord. Please forgive me.
You are so gracious and good. You don’t punish me in anger or as I deserve … You discipline me in love to teach and guide me. I can honestly say that I don’t like being corrected but when I see how I’ve grown and the ways You’ve used it to teach me and guide me … I know it comes from Your loving heart for my good.
So, I will thank and praise You for being my perfect loving parent. I thank and praise You for caring about my present and my future. Thank You for sending Jesus to save me and give me a future filled with hope. Thank You for giving me Your Spirit to guide me and give me wisdom. Thank You for patiently and persistently teaching me what is righteous, just, and honorable.
I give myself to You. Mold me and make me according to Your will that I might live each day for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
The truth about God’s discipline is that it comes from our loving Father’s heart. He uses it for our good so that we might grow in grace, mercy, and love … so that we might become like Jesus.
Rev. Billy Graham wrote…
“God does not discipline us to subdue us but to condition us for a life of usefulness and blessedness. In His wisdom, He knows that an uncontrolled life is an unhappy life, so He puts reins on our wayward souls that they may be directed into the paths of righteousness.”
May you be blessed to see the Father’s love as He walks with you through times of discipline. May God’s discipline strengthen you to run the race before you. And may you keep your eyes on Jesus … He is the One who makes all things possible.
Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.
Hebrews 12:1–2
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As any caring parent would do, God disciplines us lovingly. May we have humble hearts to accept His corrections.
Blessings, Deb!
Amen, Martha! Blessings and hugs!
Thank you so much for that prayer. Sometimes we don’t see that we have fallen short of what he is doing and we lose our center. Discipline from our Lord isn’t always pleasant. It does make us reflect on where we tripped up and we know not what ripple effect it has made on others in the long run. His plan, His way, His timing. I want to be the one he created me to be. Maybe my fallibility isn’t quite as severe as I think…if it helps others see the missteps of their own journey and can bring them back to center. When I feel deserted, God’s love & mercy keep me full of gratitude & joy.
You are so loved & blessed.
🙂
Thank you for adding this to our conversation, Cindy. It’s so true. His plan, His way, His timing. We can trust His love and that He will use our circumstances for good even when they are difficult. God be with you and bless you!
Thank you Deb for this post.
Thanks for visiting, Margaret. God bless you!
Love this reminder on the depth of God’s love and why He disciplines His children. It is not always pleasant but needed at times. Thankfully it is done with love and for our good.
Amen, Horace. Our God is so gracious in guiding us with His love and disciplining us for our good … may we let it change us that we might ultimately live for His glory. Blessings!
The key word here to me is Love! God gives his discipline with love. No one likes to be harshly disciplined. We do all need to be corrected and led in the right way. I see so much lack of discipline these days. When I grew up, part of discipline was being taught to respect other people, your elders and your law enforcement. I am grateful for God’s discipline. Being led in the “Spirit” let’s me be certain of God’s love for me.
Thank you my friend for this post and the wonderful prayer with it.
Blessings and hugs!
So true, Sue. When we are assured of the love of the person who is disciplining us we are much more likely to take the instruction and let it lead us to a better future. What a wonderful gracious God we serve. Thank and many blessings, dear friend.
Thank you Deb for the explanation of how beautiful Gods discipline is by loving us despite our downfalls of sins. Please help me Lord to always learn from your discipline so I no longer sin. I cannot do it alone only through your love, grace, discipline, and mercy. I will always do your will in my life.🙏
Amen, Ana. Only through His love, grace, discipline, and mercy can we trust and obey. What an overwhelming blessing that He would give us His Spirit that we might have everything we need. God bless you!
Deb, I enjoy reading your post. They seem to target my life and the tribulations I am dealing with. I have accepted that this is my season and I look forward to Our Father answering my prayer. I am the only one who believes that Our Father will give me the victory over my situation. Satan is using everyone in my life to get me to disbelieve Our Father’s words. I trust in My Father. Thank You so very much for words of wisdom.
Hi, Edith. I truly appreciate your kind encouragement. The Lord is with you and I love the way He is working in Your heart. I am praying for you and asking our Lord to give you victory as He continues to give you strength. God be with you and bless you!
This is a subject that I have been dwelling on lately and I have a question that stays in my head. How exactly does the Lord discipline us in this life? I truly don’t know. Is it that He may let something bad happen to us (knowing that He lets that happen and does not make it happen or does He)? This is a point of confusion for me and maybe you could point me in the right direction or give me a book in the Bible that could clarify. I apologize for being ignorant but I do want to know.
That’s a tough question and one that I think most have asked at one time or another. I don’t know that I can give you a perfect answer but I can share my understanding to the best of my ability. God allows us to live out the consequences of our sinful words and actions and we are also impacted and learn from the consequences of other people’s words and actions. He has allowed people to have free will so that we might freely trust, love, and obey Him. Here are a couple of links that might help… Bible Verses about God’s Discipline and When, how, and why does the Lord God discipline us when we sin? – Got Questions. I hope they help. Thanks for visiting and for adding this to the conversation. God bless you!
Thank you so much this message has up lifted my spirits
I feel so terrible for a mistake i made in the past and it’s weighing on me,but I trust in God’s discipline and I will use this study as a guide
I’m so glad this helped. The Lord loves you and He is waiting with open arms to forgive His children when they come to Him in humble repentance. May He be with you and bless you with His peace.