God's Design is Love

What is the design of God in this sovereign governing of our adversaries and circumstances? Hebrews 12 is wonderfully clear on this. Verse 6: "Those whom the Lord loves he disciplines." The design of God is love. Our pain is not the effect of God's hate, but of God's love. Will you believe this? That is the question.

Or verse 7: "It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons." In other words, in your pain, you are not being treated as a slave or as an enemy. You are being treated as a loved child of God. The issue is: will you believe this? Will you let the Word of God settle the issue for you, so that when the suffering comes, you don't turn on God and put him in the dock and prosecute him with accusations? He probably will not tell you why it is your turn, or why it is happening now, or why there is this much pain, or why it lasts this long. But he has told you what you need to know: it is the love of an all-wise Father to a child. Will you trust him?