Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law. Psalms 94:12. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 1 Corinthians 11:32.
Is there any child that does not need chastisement? What a blessing it is when the Lord does not permit us to pursue our own paths, but places Himself in our way; disciplines us; fences in the wrong path with the thorny hedge of trials, humiliations, afflictions or persecutions, so that we are unable to withdraw from Him, and become blinded and hardened, but must seek Him and remain with Him! What a blessing it is that He deprives us of all consolation from without, and knocks every staff of support out of our hands, that we may seek our consolation and help in Him alone! All God’s saints have thanked him more for chastisements, afflictions and trials, than for joys and blessings. Some day we also shall thank Him for the rod, even though we cannot do so now, because we do not yet understand. Without chastisement and temptation none can be acceptable to God, none learn fully to understand God’s Word. Chastisement and temptation are also a key to the Scriptures and open many of God’s mysteries to us which we would not otherwise know.
Dear Refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise.
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll.
My fainting hope relies.