“‘I struck you with blight and mildew;
your many gardens and your vineyards,
your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured;
yet you did not return to me,’
declares the Lord.“
– Amos 4:9
God’s discipline is an uncomfortable topic! Would a kind, loving, and merciful God actually put harsh things into our lives to get us to return to Him in faithfulness? Absolutely!
Scripture is clear that because God loves us so much, He disciplines us. He permits painful experiences and seasons in our lives and in the world so that we would turn back to Him in deeper faith, maturity, and obedience. This isn’t intended to be hurtful because God genuinely seeks what is best for us from an eternal perspective.
God’s discipline hurts in the moment, but its fruit is a vibrant, dynamic relationship with the Creator of the Universe that will endure for millions, billions, and trillions of years! Thus God permits us to suffer the consequences of our sinful decisions. And thus God permits us to suffer as a means of turning our attention away from our selfish pursuits and toward His design and blessing for our lives. God disciplines us to refocus and refine our faith into something pure and beautiful. This is no different than a parent who lovingly disciplines a young child to shape her character and help her grow to her full potential.
Much of the suffering in our lives is simply the outworking of living in a fallen world marred by sin and filled with sinful people. However, some of our suffering is God’s effort to get our attention and turn it away from that which is ultimately far worse for us. We must be reflective on our struggles, seeking to discern whether we too need to return to the Lord.