Kindness in Suffering: 12 Ways God Shows His Goodness Through Trials and AfflictionsExemplo

Suffering Disciplines Us As Beloved Children

When we are born again in Christ Jesus, the Bible teaches that we are not just saved, but adopted as beloved children (e.g., Rom. 8:15–17). One of the ways that we know experientially that we are God’s children is that He disciplines us as our Father. Hebrews 12:7 teaches, “God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” The writer of Hebrews reasoned that if we do not receive any kind of discipline from our heavenly Father, we are to be regarded as illegitimate children (v. 8).

And so, we are reminded by Proverbs 3:11, “My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, or loathe His reproof.” In fact, the Lord disciplines those whom He loves. But why must our Father discipline us? Because we are sinful. And to leave us in our sins and allow us to live the rest of our lives wallowing in the cancerous sins of our own demise would utterly destroy us. Therefore, “He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness” (Heb. 12:10).

Furthermore, we are assured, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (v. 11). In the same way a loving earthly father disciplines his own children for their good, our perfect heavenly Father demonstrates His lovingkindness to us through our discipline.