⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 3 min read
📅 December 15 Q&A
When God Corrects His Children
Q: Why does God discipline those He loves?
Every believer will experience seasons of correction from the Lord. For some, this reality feels unsettling because our earthly experiences with discipline may have been marked by anger, inconsistency, or rejection. Yet Scripture paints a very different picture. God’s discipline flows from His love, His wisdom, and His perfect commitment to our good.
So we ask the question many Christians wrestle with, “Why does God discipline those He loves?”
God Disciplines Us Because We Belong to Him
Hebrews 12:6 declares, “The Lord disciplines the one He loves.” The passage continues by comparing God’s care to that of a loving father who trains his children for their good. Discipline is not a sign of distance. It is a sign of relationship. If God never disciplined His children, Scripture says it would reveal we do not belong to Him at all (Hebrews 12:8).
God Uses Discipline to Protect Us From Sin
Sin often feels appealing for a moment, but it always leads toward bondage, harm, and sorrow. In love, God intervenes. Just as a parent pulls a child away from danger, God redirects His children away from spiritual destruction. Sometimes His correction comes through conviction, consequences, or a timely rebuke. Though the moment may sting, His discipline protects us from far greater pain.
Discipline Shapes Us Into the Image of Christ
Hebrews 12:10 teaches that God disciplines us “that we may share His holiness.” Sanctification is active, intentional, and sometimes uncomfortable. Like a skilled craftsman shaping rough material, God removes what is harmful and forms what reflects His Son. Correction is part of our growth, not punishment. God is shaping us to look more like Jesus.
Discipline Strengthens Our Faith
Correction and trials reveal where our trust truly rests. Through discipline, God teaches us dependence rather than self-reliance, obedience rather than wandering, humility rather than pride, and endurance rather than spiritual apathy:
- dependence rather than self-reliance.
- obedience rather than wandering.
- humility rather than pride.
- endurance rather than spiritual apathy.
Discipline deepens faith because it exposes our weaknesses and drives us back to God’s strength.
Discipline Produces Peace and Righteousness
Hebrews 12:11 gives a tender truth, discipline feels painful, not pleasant. Yet over time, it yields “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” The outcome of God’s loving correction includes:
- peace
- maturity
- holiness
- wisdom
- righteousness
Discipline is not meant to break us, but to build us.
God Corrects Us Because He Is Faithful
Philippians 1:6 reminds us that God completes the work He begins. Discipline is part of His relentless grace. He loves His children too much to leave them unchanged or wandering.
If you feel the weight of God’s correction today, do not run from it.
It is not evidence that God is against you. It is proof that He is with you, working for your eternal good. His discipline restores, protects, refines, and strengthens those who belong to Him. The Father who disciplines you is the same Father who delights in you, sustains you, and promises to finish His work in you.
For more from Contending for the Word Q&A please visit our page at Servants of Grace or at our YouTube.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
