Chastening means to inflict suffering upon someone for the purpose of moral improvement. If we fail to judge ourselves. God chastens us. It has been said that if we will not hear, we will feel. If we do not heed God’s dealings with us through the Word and by the urgings of the Spirit and the warnings of our brothers and sisters in Christ, God will set up circumstances to correct us. (2 Samuel 7:14, 15; Psalm 94:12; 1 Corinthians 11:31, 32.) 

 Chastening disciplines us to grow up.

We should be thankful for God’s care for us which includes correction and training. He is making something out of us we could not make of ourselves. We should cooperate with Him when He deals with us rather than either resenting the chastening or giving up in discouragement. Chastening is the portion of all true sons; it will make us better people. (Hebrews 12:3-11; Job 5:17, 18; Proverbs 3:11, 12.)  

Chastening produces righteousness within our character and obedience in our walk.

Chastening causes us to turn around and agree with God. We change our ways and flow with His purposes. Through chastening, the Holy Spirit imparts to us the righteousness imputed to us (credited to our account) at the Judgment of the Cross. Our character is formed as God trains us through self-judgment and chastening. (Hebrews 12:11.)  

Chastening makes us submissive to authority.

We are all born with an innate distaste for being told what to do by others. We would rather make our own decisions, even if all we do is make mistakes. But God has purposed both that we walk in complete submission to His Lordship and that we learn to submit to one another -especially to those He puts in authority over us. 

(1) Children must obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3).  

(2) Servants must obey their masters-this applies to employees and employers (Ephesians 6:5-8). 

 (3) Wives must obey their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-23).  

(4) Sheep must obey the undershepherds God has placed over them in the church (Hebrews 13:17).