And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “ My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; (6) For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” (7) If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten………..(11) Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.(12) Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, (13) and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
The author of Hebrews is unknown. The author was concerned that some of his Jewish Christian readers were about to drop out of the Christian race because they were faltering under God’s discipline – the author is trying to prepare his readers to endure by faith what is a looming persecution. They have already endured public reproach, imprisonment and unlawful seizure of their property and are now encouraged “to run with endurance the race that is set before us” by fixing their eyes on Jesus and His suffering. The author has just chronicled some of the Old Testament faithful and some of their suffering because evil men hated those who lived and proclaimed God’s righteousness as our examples.
Sometimes the enemy is in me opposed to the holiness of God. Even though we become a new creation through faith in Christ the powerful sins and desires of the flesh are not eradicated. Life in the Spirit is a matter of passively letting go and letting God. We must trust God but at the same time it is we who must resist and strive against sin. Put your trial in perspective – consider the Savior who died for you. Don’t grow weary and lose heart. Consider what you deserve if God were to give you perfect justice. If you are not a child of God through faith in Christ then you are not under God’s loving discipline; you are under His wrath and judgment. Scripture teaches that out of love God disciplines all His children. This differs from wrath against sin which is punishment with God as judge. Under discipline Christ paid for our sins and developed holiness in us. The sinning child of God may lose his rewards but he will not lose his salvation.
Suffering comes to all; it is part of life, but it is not easy to bear. Yet, it is not quite so bad when it can be seen as meaningful. Suffering – when rightly understood – is seen as God’s fatherly discipline, correction and direction. Suffering is evidence not that God does not love us but that He does.