“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Hebrews 12:11
Chastening is meant to correct an attitude or a direction that’s in opposition to what is right.
Parents (should) chasten their kids when they’re disrespectful or disobedient…
“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.”
Proverbs 22:15
People who break the law, and are sent to jail or prison, are handled by the Department of Corrections.
Nobody wants to be corrected, but correction is an act of love and grace.
If someone you love is heading down a bad path, it’s an act of love to confront them and help them to see the error of their ways.
Why? Because you don’t want them to experience the inevitable consequences of their poor choices.
God chastens His kids.
He doesn’t beat us down and rub our nose in our mistakes. He doesn’t really have to do that.
All that He has to do is stand back and let us destroy ourselves.
But thankfully He loves us enough to intervene when we get foolish, selfish, and disobedient.
The problem is that our flesh LIKES sin and rebellion, so the chastening of God is like a bucket of cold water on our lives.
It’s meant to refocus our attention on His righteousness.
A sting, a burn, and a cut.
These things HURT and create a MEMORY of the trauma or pain. That memory causes us to be cautious and careful to avoid that pain in the future.
The same is true with a nation.
God will allow a nation to suffer catastrophic pain and loss as a result of their disobedience to Him…and it’s actually meant to correct the nation and cause the people to call on Him.
The result of His chastening, and our repentance, is peace and righteousness.
Look around at your nation and the world…there is desperate need for chastening and correction.
Are we truly praying for correction?
Or are we just asking Him to stop the pain?
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