Daily Devotional - January 20th, 2026
“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
“God’s correction is not a sign of rejection, but proof that He is invested in who we are becoming.” — Alma Ohene-Opare
Commentary:
There is a quiet difference between punishment and discipline. Punishment looks backward and demands payment. Discipline looks forward and demands growth. The Lord never corrects to satisfy anger or ego. He corrects to shape character. When scripture teaches that God chastens those He loves, it reveals a Father who refuses to abandon His children to weakness, pride, or comfort that corrodes the soul.
Earthly fathers correct with limited sight and limited time. Their intentions may be sincere, but their understanding is incomplete. God’s correction is different. He sees the end from the beginning. What feels heavy today may be the very lesson that saves us tomorrow. Like a skilled gardener pruning a healthy branch, the Lord cuts not to harm, but to increase fruit. Left untouched, even good branches grow wild and unproductive.
Freedom is not the absence of restraint. True freedom is the ability to choose righteousness even when it costs something. Chastening trains that ability. It teaches submission without humiliation, obedience without fear, and endurance without bitterness. Those who reject correction often confuse comfort with peace. Yet scripture promises that lasting peace comes after discipline, not before it.
Christ Himself submitted to the Father’s will, learning obedience through suffering. If the Son of God was refined through endurance, we should not be surprised when our own path includes correction. God’s discipline invites us to grow up into spiritual maturity, to reflect His holiness, and to live as sons and daughters who trust His hand even when it presses firmly.
Scripture:
“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
Daily Application:
Receive one correction today without defensiveness, and prayerfully ask what growth God is inviting you into through it.