Bodily pain has an important function. It is a warning that something is wrong and that steps should be taken to correct the difficulty. A leper may grab hold of a hot coal and, if he is not alert, burn part of his hand away because no warning messages of pain come through the nerves of his hand. Pain is beneficent when it brings about correction of what is wrong.
Human suffering can likewise have corrective value. It can be a warning to him who is following a wrong path – a warning that comes soon enough for him to change his ways. Much is said in Proverbs about willingness to accept reproof from one’s fellows. He is a wise man who does not resent a rebuke (Proverbs 15:10). He profits by it. However, in Proverbs 3:11, the writer thought of a rebuke administered by the Lord. “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction.” Suffering may be God’s way of awakening a man to his wrongdoing. If the man regards this chastening as the act of a loving father trying to correct his son, he will extract the full value from his pain.
While much of what Job’s friend Elihu said was incorrect, he was right on this point (Job 5:17-18). The inspired writer of the epistle of Hebrews quoted Elihu and validated the point that the Lord does discipline those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:5-11).
Sometimes we foolishly think that our devotion to the Lord should reap health and material benefits. Life should be great, painless and trouble free. Yet things often sidetrack us from what is most important (Matthew 16:24). When we are distracted or heading in the wrong direction, divine corrective measures may be necessary. Use life’s bumps, twists and turns as a time to do some serious soul-searching. The wise man Solomon confirmed this when he said, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other…” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
When all is not well, consider. It may be the discipline of the Lord trying to wake us up to the direction we are traveling.
Denny Petrillo