What Does the Lord’s Discipline Look Like?

By Lauren Rose Correa, January 30, 2025

The word “discipline” can conjure up some really cringe-y and unpleasant feelings for many of us. Nobody really enjoys being disciplined, especially when the person doing it is condescending, critical, or judgmental. I must admit, thinking about this topic has made me very uncomfortable at times, especially when I associate it with human examples of what discipline should look like. But what does the Lord’s discipline look like? When God corrects you, what is his purpose? What attitude does he have when he does it?

“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father a son he delights in.” Proverbs 3:11-12

Proverbs 3:11-12 tells us not to despise the Lord’s discipline in our lives. In fact, it even goes so far as to tell us that discipline is a very positive thing that indicates that God loves and delights in us. Rather than something cringe-y and uncomfortable, discipline actually shows us how loved and cherished we are.

What Does the Lord’s Discipline Look Like? – Characteristics of God’s Discipline

In light of this passage, what does God’s discipline look like? Here are some of the characteristics of God’s discipline.

His discipline is free of judgment and condemnation

When the Lord disciplines you, he is not condemning you or sentencing you for your sin. You have been saved from those things because of your faith in what Jesus did on the cross. He does not correct you with the intent to crush you or come down hard on you for what you’ve done wrong. His correction comes out of his kindness. If someone in your church or in your group of friends is offering you correction that comes with judgment, know that this attitude is not one that comes from the Lord.

His discipline comes from love

Rather than judgement or condemnation, God’s discipline is coming from a place of love. His intent is to lead you in the best way and see you become your best self. Often times, when man corrects, love and kindness is not the center of it. I think this is why so many of us fear the Lord’s correction – because we have seen the way that man can often correct, and we don’t want to be on the receiving end of that. God’s approach is totally contrary to man’s approach.

His discipline is meant to course correct

The intention of God’s loving rebuke is to course correct you. As we pursue the Lord, he will start to convict us of sin in our lives. In each stage of life, I believe he starts to peel back the layers of our sin and draw us closer and closer to living as he created us to live. With this in mind, know that in each stage, you may start to see sin more clearly and start to feel convicted of things you were previously comfortable with.

What Does the Lord’s Discipline Look Like? – What is God Really Saying About You When He Disciplines You?

When God disciplines you, it does not mean that he hates you, is angry with you, or is critical about your struggle. It does not mean that you are worse than someone else or that you should feel bad about yourself because of your sin. When he disciplines you, here is what that really says about you!

His discipline means that he delights in you

The amazing thing about this verse is that it says that the Lord disciples us as children that he delights in. Do you believe that God delights in you? The amazing thing about this is that even though you are imperfect and still committing a sin that requires correction, God is delighting in you. He delights in us, even while we are not yet perfect. When you are disciplined by God, he is not looking at you with distain or disgust. His discipline is an indicator that he delights in you!

His discipline indicates a relationship – you are his child

Discipline is evidence that you have a relationship with God. It is evidence that you are really his child! A few years ago, I really struggled with my mental health. I experienced psychosis, and this episode was witnessed by some friends and acquaintances because it happened in public. Some of those people in my life thought that this struggle indicated that I did not have a relationship with God. But over the past few years, God has helped me sort through all my wrong thoughts that led to this episode and come back to truth. He has put my life together in every way, and I am thriving now.

It’s important not to judge someone’s entire relationship with God based on their struggle with sin. We all have different sins that we wrestle with, so don’t judge someone over what they are dealing with at one point in time. God’s hand in my life over the past few years and his removal of my sin struggle is evidence that he really was in my life all along.

His discipline means that he believes you are capable of more

God’s discipline is intended to bring us to the best version of ourselves. If he disciplines you, it is because he believes you are capable of doing better – with his strength of course! Rather than feeling bad about what he’s convicting you about, realize that he’s working in you to bring you closer to what he created you to be.

What Does the Lord’s Discipline Look Like? – Bearing Up Under Man’s Discipline

With this new perspective on discipline, remember that though man may offer correction with criticism and negativity, you do not need to receive it that way. If you’ve ever had to encounter a distorted portrayal of the Lord’s discipline, whether from a friend or even from a church, know that the Lord would not treat you that way, even if what they are saying has some merit. You do not need to stand up for yourself. In fact, if what they are saying is true, accept the correction and let God fix their attitude. It’s better for you to concern yourself with your own growth and leave everyone else in God’s hands.