Why Does God Chasten His Children?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Helaman 13-16 in a lesson titled “Glad Tidings of Great Joy.” The lesson covers the story of Samuel the Lamanite, one of the greatest stories in the Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The lesson was introduced by this paragraph. 

The first time Samuel the Lamanite tried to share “glad tidings” (in Zarahemla (Helaman 13:7), he was rejected and cast out by the hard-hearted Nephites. You might say it was as if they had built an impenetrable wall around their hearts that prevented them from receiving Samuel’s message. Samuel understood the importance of the message he bore and demonstrated faith by following God’s commandment “that he should return again, and prophesy” (Helaman 13:3). Like Samuel, we all encounter walls as we “prepare the way of the Lord” (Helaman 14:9) and strive to follow His prophets. And like Samuel, we too bear witness of Jesus Christ, “who surely shall come,” and invite all to “believe on his name” (Helaman 13:6; 14:13). Not everyone will listen, and some may actively oppose us. But those who believe in this message with faith in Christ find that it truly is a message of “glad tidings of great joy” (Helaman 16:14).

This week’s lesson teaches several principles: The Lord gives warnings through His prophets (Helaman 13). God invites me to repent (Helaman 13-15). God sent signs and wonders to testify of the Savior’s birth and death (Helaman 14; 16:13-23). Chastening from the Lord is a sign of His love (Helaman 15:3). Prophets point me to Jesus Christ (Helaman 16).

I could discuss any of the above principles, but I feel prompted to discuss this one: “Chastening from the Lord is a sign of His love” (Helaman 15:3). Many people question the existence of God and reason that a loving God would not allow terrible things to happen to good people. This is far from the truth because adversity is part of the tests, trials, and tribulations of life. 

We are here on earth to prove ourselves. Will we yield our agency to God and do His will, or will we yield our agency to Satan and do His will? Samuel’s words contain many stern chastisements, but Helaman 15:3 gives us perspective on chastening from the Lord.

3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

A loving parent who sees their beloved toddler run into the street would chasten the child in some way – hopefully with words of teaching and not words or actions of abuse. If the parent did not love the toddler, they would not care if the child played in the street. The same is true of Heavenly Father. He loves all His children and wishes all to find happiness and joy. Therefore, when they do something wrong, He chastens them in order to teach them.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke on the topic of chastening and parental love in the April 2011 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ. In his remarks, he gave three purposes for divine chastening: “(1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.” Elder Christofferson expounded on the three reasons, and I encourage you to study his talk if you wish to learn more. “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten” (churchofjesuschrist.org)