Hebrews 12:5-11 – “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

 “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,And scourges every son whom He receives.” 

 7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  NKJV

Nobody likes to be chastened.  Nobody enjoys the process of chastisement.  Well, no one in a healthy sane spiritual condition and mindset.  In the natural I did not enjoy chastening my children and I can guarantee they did not enjoy it.  As a child I did not enjoy the rod of correction being applied to my fundament and my parents were not sadist enjoying applying the rod of correction.  However, because of love and understanding that chastening is necessary to correct, shape and direct in the right path.  I won’t get into a debate over how that correction and chastisement is to be applied.  That I will leave between you and the LORD but I had the board of education applied and applied it to my children and, at this point, it appears that we are better not worse for it.

Chastening out of love is not just for correction but is redemptive in nature.  It has an objective in mind and that objective is not to punish behavior but shape character and direct a life in a particular direction.  Paul informs us that we are not to despise chastisement and that could be applied to the one receiving it and the one responsible for administering it.  We are not to neglect correction for it has redemptive value.  He informs us that God chastens or corrects us because He loves us and is not willing to just allow us to do our own thing in our own way.  There is right and righteousness and He wants to direct us toward that.

We are instructed to endure or submit to chastening, humbling ourselves, learning the lesson being taught and rejoice in the love that is willing to teach us right.  God’s chastening is a mark of sonship for God deals with us as His children.  It is a testimony that we are members of the family and that He, as a loving father, disciplines and corrects us.  I would rather have God chasten me now rather than hear Him say on that day, “I never knew you.”

Paul then tells his audience that if you are not corrected it is an indication that you are illegitimate children.  In the natural, the ones caring for illegitimate children frequently demonstrated no affection or obligation to correct or train the child.  That is not universally true but was incredibly accurate in Paul’s day and is also largely true in our time.

Therefore, when the LORD chastens me it humbles me and while it is painful spiritually and emotionally it is joyous because I know that He would not be going to the trouble of correcting me if He did not love me.  Because He loves me, I welcome His correction.  I do not want to go astray and would ten thousand times rather He correct me now than let me go my own way and not hear, “Welcome, my good and faithful servant, enter in…”   The objective and fruit of chastening is so desirous it makes the chastening’s pain pale in comparison.

Discipline us O’ Lord we want to manifest you in this present world.  Blessings as you go through this day!