January 2026- Day 3 Proverbs 3 Evening devotional
- Dustin Gay
- Jan 3
- 2 min read
Proverbs (Day 3 of 31)
Theme: Don’t despise God’s shaping
Proverbs 3:11–12
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the Lord loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.”
Some nights you don’t just feel tired—you feel corrected. Something didn’t go the way you hoped. A decision backfired. A conversation stung. A door closed. And the enemy loves to whisper, “See? God’s disappointed in you.”
But Proverbs 3 flips that lie on its head: God’s correction is proof of God’s love. Not rejection—relationship. Not punishment—preparation.
Correction doesn’t always feel gentle in the moment. Sometimes it’s God pressing on a habit that’s hurting you. Sometimes it’s Him interrupting pride, rescuing you from compromise, or rerouting you away from something that would’ve cost you more than you realize. A loving Father won’t let His child wander into danger unchecked.
So if today felt like a “hard lesson,” don’t mistake it for abandonment. The Lord disciplines the ones He delights in. That means He’s invested in you. He’s shaping you. He’s building something in you that comfort alone could never produce.
Tonight, instead of resenting the pressure, ask: “Father, what are You forming in me?” Because the hand that corrects you is the same hand that holds you.
Father, thank You for loving me enough to correct me. Forgive me for the times I resist Your instruction or take Your correction personally, as if You’re against me. Teach me to receive Your discipline with humility and trust. If there’s anything in me that needs to change—attitudes, words, motives, habits—bring it into the light and give me strength to surrender it. Heal what’s bruised from today, steady my heart, and help me rest in Your love. Make me more like Jesus. In His name, amen.
Takeaway for Tonight
Write this on your heart:
“God is not punishing me—He’s preparing me.”
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