The Lord chastens those He loves. The purpose of chastening is to help people reform, repent, and purify their lives. Righteous chastening is always based on love for the individual (see Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6; D&C 95:1–2). The Lord wants to help us stay on the straight and narrow path. He even helps us feel guilt to encourage us to repent. Sometimes He uses external means such as famine, pestilence, and other hardships to humble us so that we can be persuaded to change our ways (see Helaman 11:4–18). Through chastening we can grow—provided we are easily entreated and don’t consider the chastening a punishment, but rather as a “course correction” to keep us on the right pathway.
Chastening from a priesthood leader or parent should always be motivated by a desire to help us repent from sin so that we can enjoy the blessings of the Spirit and ultimately return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. When we must chasten others, let us remember to follow the counsel given in the Doctrine and Covenants 121:41–44: reproving (correcting) betimes (early on, without delay) with sharpness (with clarity) when inspired by the Holy Ghost. Then let us always remember to follow up with compassion and love so that the individual will not take us for an enemy. When receiving chastening, we should be as contrite, humble, and easily entreated as possible.
Let us never forget that benevolent chastening is truly a sign of love. Apathy is not part of the character of God. Heavenly Father and our Savior do all things for the benefit of all mankind through the plan of salvation (see John 3:16; 2 Nephi 26:24; Moses 1:39). The word of God is given to us that we might stay on the straight and narrow path (see 1 Nephi 15:24–25; 2 Nephi 32:3; D&C 84:43–46). At times the Lord, through His messengers, pricks our hearts with the word so we’ll repent and come to a realization of those things we should be doing (see Jarom 1:12).