4 Legit Reasons Why God Disciplines Those He Loves

To listen to the blog post “Why God Disciplines Those He Loves” over reading it just click the play button below.

The fact that God disciplines those he loves seems to go against what we want as human beings.  Why on Earth would we want to be punished by God and how can God love us if He wants to punish us? It seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it?

When I was a baby Christian I did not get this whole God chastises those He loves at all.  I felt that my relationship with God should be all lollipops and gumdrops, and when I was being chastised I saw God as this unfair guy in the sky just waiting for me to screw up so that He could issue His punishment and make my life very miserable.

God chastising you is not that. And as someone who has experienced this first hand and has grown with my relationship with God, I want to give you the very clear reason God chastises those He loves.

Before we get into it I want you to watch my video on why God turns his hand against you. Don’t worry it is not like God is your enemy but rather explains why God disciplines you and the consequences of that. And don’t forget to subscribe to my channel by clicking here.

1. God disciplines those he loves – Because He is Our Parent

God diciplines those he loves because he is our parent. I wrote about this in my blog when I compared God’s love to a motherly type of love (click here to read). If you are a parent, and your child does something wrong, then it is your responsibility to punish your child. You do not punish your child because you hate them and want to see them suffer. If that is the case for you as a parent then you need Jesus.

Most parents punish their children for their own good. So that they can learn from the consequences of their actions and NEVER repeat them again. When my son spent over $1k of my money on Xbox games behind my back (click here to read that blog) I needed to issue out punishment so that he does not continue to do the same thing.

I had to punish him so severely so he does not make the same mistakes. That is why God punishes those He loves because He does not want to see us sink into the same thing over and over again when He knows that what we are doing is wrong.

In a way, we are like children, in the fact that we want when we want it. Sometimes we lie or do something bad knowing that we are not supposed to do it. But we do it simply because we want to and doing these things will get us what we want for the time being.

Just like when I asked my son why he spent my money, he said because I wanted to play the games. If I did not punish him he would continue to steal my money and when he grows up he would steal other people’s money because he was never taught by me (his mother) that it was wrong. It is the same way with God.

2. God Disciplines Those He Loves & God chastises those He loves – To Make You Better

I remember when I screwed up on my job. It did not seem like a big deal because everyone else was doing it. I was slacking off, playing around, and taking a really long lunch. Everyone was doing all of the above things too, but I was the only one that got written up for it. Out of my selfishness, I asked God why was I getting written up when this was something that everyone was at work was doing.

God spoke to me just as clear and told me that it did not matter what everyone else was doing, what I was doing was wrong and just because everyone else did it;  did not make it right AND did not excuse my own WRONG behavior.

God told me that as His child He was holding me to a higher standard.  How could I go out in the world and fulfill His purpose and present myself as a child of God if I was dishonest and could not do the right thing?

God Disciplines Those He Loves & God chastises those He loves Bible verse: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrew 12:11

This is just one example but there have been so many times that I have tried to get away with something that everyone else gets away with and I have gotten caught and punished for it, but not them. God allowed me to get punished for it because He wanted me to be at a higher standard.

As a result, I learned to do the right thing no matter what everyone else is doing. So what if everyone is doing something crazy and once you try it you get in trouble. That is because God loves you so much that He is not going to sit around allowing you to call yourself His child, behaving like you have no sense, and representing Him in the wrong way.

If God is chastising you then I am sure He has a bigger plan and purpose for you. He is trying to prepare you for that purpose by teaching you how to act now so that when you get into a position of authority you are not making the same mistakes.

Also, check out my blog on how God disciplined the Israelites due to their own complaining. Yes God loved them, they were his chosen people but it did not stop them from getting punished.

3. God disciplines those he loves – If He Is Not Worried about you then You Are Not Worth Worrying About

Don’t get me wrong, God loves everyone. But we know just from reading the Bible that God has his favorites. And guess what? All of his favorites went through some drama at some point in their life (see my blog here for examples).

Remember the example that I gave above when everyone was doing something and when I did it I got punished for it. I know God loves them, but He saw something in me that He was not going to allow me to continue on in my foolishness.  If God is not punishing you for the things that you are doing wrong then you should be worried. The Bible clearly states that God chastises those He loves.

God Disciplines Those He Loves & God chastises those He loves: Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?  If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Hebrews 12:7-8

Meaning that if God is not worried about you then maybe you have fallen so far off the deep end that He does not even care what you do. Because Him punishing you means that you probably won’t come back to Him anyway. So why waste the effort?

Therefore He is going to let you stay in your foolishness because you are so far gone that even if God punishes you then it probably won’t make a difference anyway.

4. God chastises those He loves – Because It Will Make You Stronger

I have been through my fair share of suffering just like I know many of you have been through your fair share of suffering. Many years ago, I took this job at this fraudulent company and they wanted me to do things that I knew for a fact that I was not supposed to be doing.

But I wanted to keep my job. Soon I lost my job because the company went out of business. It took me a while to get another job because I am sure that this was the chastising that was coming from God. I knew that company was shady and I chose to say yes because I wanted money and did not listen to God when He told me that I did not need to do the things they were asking me to do.

You can check out my single mother story and the time that I was failing as a parent for more at that time in my life. I HATED my suffering, I hated going through all the things that I was going through.  But now that I am out of it, it has made me so much stronger!

There were times when I did not know how I was going to pay my bills or even how I was going to eat and somehow God made away. And when God made a way it grew my trust in God in the sense that I knew that if I could make it through that then I could make it through anything. And all God is requiring of me is to do my part.

God Disciplines Those He Loves & God chastises those He loves: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope Romans 5:4

Before I continue I also want you to check out my video on what it means exactly to glory in your suffering so you can get a better understanding on what I mean.

Not only am I a new person because of the things that I went through but I rely fully on God to come through for me. And I know that as long as I am doing what I am supposed to do, meaning that I am not going against God and just acting a fool I know that God will give me what I want.

I want to bring this full circle to explain my above statement. God disciplines those he loves. He wants to chastise you so you do not repeat the same mistakes that you have been doing.

AND even while you are going through your punishment God is still there with you. It is in those moments that you learn to depend fully on God no matter what. And it is in those moments that you become stronger.

That is why the Bible says:

God Disciplines Those He Loves & God chastises those He loves: Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves and punishes everyone he accepts as a child. Hebrews 12:6

If you have reached this place with God then know that God has called you out as His own and He has made it His personal mission to mold you into the person He wants you to become. Yes, God disciplines those he loves but it is always for your own benefit remember that.

If you know someone who may want to read this post then be sure to share it with them.

Also, check out my Christian Manifestation Guide with positive affirmation and Bible verses to go along with each affirmation that will help you along your spiritual walk. Click here to buy it.