5 and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as to sons: “My son, do not regard lightly the Lord’s discipline, nor faint being reproved by Him.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

— Hebrews 12:5-7

29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him,

30 since you are encountering the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

— Philippians 1:29-30

26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

28 But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works.

— Psalm 73:26, 28

And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us

— 1 John 4:16a

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, salvation and joy from Jesus Christ to you.

While all people suffer, God’s people suffer in particular ways. Christians’ constant battle against temptation, personal sin, and self-rule represents a struggle the world cannot understand. In addition, God lovingly discipline believers to develop within them a “harvest of righteousness and peace. God loves His children too much to let their sin go unchecked. He allows circumstances that strengthen faith and develop spiritual muscle. God’s discipline upon believers reveals they indeed belong to Him. When believers welcome God’s discipline as opportunities to grow in faith, we often see them respond to crises with Christ-like compassion and care.

If we believers identify with Christ, we expect opposition and persecution. Walking with God means being out of step with this world’s system. Throughout history, God’s people have endured terrible suffering. Expecting rejection for the cause of Christ provides a proper framework when this kind of suffering becomes a reality. Let’s learn to recognize God’s beauty and faithfulness when we suffer. We cannot accurately assess God’s reasons for our pain, but we can always pray, learn, and grow. God uses every situation to draw us, His children. Because we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us, we can trust God even if the “why” behind our suffering remains a mystery.