We should pray for deliverance from suffering of any kind, and we should believe and expect that God will deliver us immediately. But until that deliverance comes, we should regard suffering as discipline and respond accordingly.
My wife works for the Chicago Public School system as a substitute teacher. That means she is assigned to schools all around the city, in all kinds of neighborhoods, in grades from preschool to 8th. When she comes home at the end of the day, sometimes she tells stories of pleasant classrooms with delightful children. At other times, she returns home like a shell-shocked, mustard-gassed soldier from a losing battle.
In the battleground classrooms, she experiences the bitter fruits of children who have not been properly disciplined first at home and then again at school. If children come from broken families lacking wise discipline, even the best schools have a major challenge on their hands. But that situation is often compounded by some school administrations that do not back up teachers and—believe it or not—even prohibit teachers from handing out consequences. The result is children who have no respect for teachers and a classroom where little productive education happens even for the good kids.
If anyone understands firsthand what a good and loving thing it is to discipline children, it is my wife.
Why suffering?
The Bible says that God in love, like a good Father, disciplines us. He allows pain into our lives, not because he is malevolent but because he is good and knows what will benefit us most long-term. He follows his own advice to human fathers:
“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him” (Proverbs 13:24 ESV).
Discipline is loving even though it does not feel like love.
Principles from Hebrews 12:5–11
We find the fullest description of this vital principle in Hebrews 12:5–11. Much could be said on this passage, but here I will simply quote each verse and follow with succinct principles.
“Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him’” (Hebrews 12:5).
–Don’t regard discipline lightly; that is, don’t ignore it, don’t fail to examine your soul for sin, don’t regard suffering as something other than discipline—such as “bad luck” or “one of those things”—and as a result fail to repent of any known sin.
–Don’t let discipline—that is, painful circumstances in your life—make you weary to the point you give up and stop believing God’s promises.
“For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6).
–Discipline feels like God is against you, as though he rejects you, but it actually is proof of his love and that he receives you.
–Discipline can be extremely painful. The Greek word mastigoō, translated “chastises” in verse 6, is the word for the scourging Jesus underwent before the cross (the King James, NKJV, and NASB use the word “scourges”; it literally meant whipping). So, “chastises” is rigorous, painful discipline.
“It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” (Hebrews 12:7)
–For discipline to fulfill its purpose, you must endure it and correct whatever needs correcting. If you give up by no longer trusting God and his words, if you fail to examine your soul and repent of sin, then the discipline will be wasted pain that does not fulfill its purpose.
–The NIV translates the first sentence in this verse, “Endure hardship as discipline.” Certainly we should pray for deliverance from suffering of any kind, and we should believe and expect that God will deliver us immediately. But until that deliverance comes, we should regard suffering as discipline and respond accordingly.
“If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:8–9).
–We must renew an attitude of subjection to our Father.
–If we do, the discipline will bring us life.
–Discipline accomplishes its work in the dimension of the human spirit. God is the Father, the Creator, of our human spirit, and therefore he knows what brings it good.
“For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).
–The purpose of discipline is our good, as Romans 8:28 says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love him.”
–When we respond correctly to discipline, it brings holiness. Holiness is good.
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
–Discipline is painful, unpleasant.
–Discipline trains us.
–Discipline yields peace.
–Discipline yields righteousness.
Our way and God’s way
Our way: We may regard pain as bad luck, as something God did not deliberately allow, or as something that simply overflows into one’s life because we live in a fallen world.
God’s way: Love seeks another person’s good even if it requires temporarily bringing them pain. Our heavenly Father knows that temporary pain saves us from eternal pain, that some pain saves us from far greater pain, that much good can come from some bad. In love he disciplines with long-term wisdom.
Life principle: When we suffer, we need to submit ourselves completely to God and his purposes and repent of any known sin.
Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)