In the article a writers discussing how God hurts his followers (not the wicked however) in order to get us to realize we are his children.
He Scourges Those He Loves
God’s love does not orbit around our felt needs. He has our best, not our easiest, in mind. His love — dangerous, jealous, possessive — is the love that will consistently wound us to save us.
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. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Hebrews 12:5–6
“Chastises” here can be translated “scourges” or “whips.” It is something to endure. Something unpleasant and rather painful. Something we wouldn’t sign up for. Something we’re tempted to despise. Something that doesn’t feel tender, gentle, or loving in the moment. But his whippings are just that. Look at the text.
He strikes those he loves and harms every son whom he receives. He doesn’t discipline Satan’s children, only his own (
Hebrews 12:8
These undesirable corrections, these marks of adoption, bring us to “share his holiness” and enjoy that “peaceful fruit of righteousness” leading to eternal life
Hebrews 12:10–11
His love has sharp edges — not to destroy us, but to sever us from all that threatens to. Instead of what we often perceive to be the stormings of our angry God, proof of his disgust with us, these corrections are, in fact, the unlikely evidences of his love. As Calvin put it,
It is an inestimable consolation — that the punishments by which our sins are chastened are evidences, not of God’s anger for our destruction, but rather of his paternal love, and are at the same time of assistance towards our salvation, for God is angry with us as his sons, whom he will not leave to perish.
He will not leave us to perish. When we wander toward cliffs, he corrals us with his rod back toward heaven. What feels to be the glory of the “god of love” — being left to our own way — is, in reality, his wrath, which bears the refrain: “God gave them up . . . gave them up . . . gave them up” (
Romans 1:24
Even Death Can Be Love.
That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. . . . But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. (
1 Corinthians 11:30
God’s love does not sit by quietly, contentedly, while we wander off into destruction. It does not stand by and watch his bride play the harlot. It finds us. Redeems us. Washes us. Transforms us. Disciplines us. And sometimes it kills us.
Is this picture incompatible with the God you worship? The God who, out of love for you, will harm you in order to save you? A love that will cut, break, and cause you to bleed — like an expert surgeon — in order to heal you?
Yet God’s love, as found in the Bible, is a fire that consumes dross, a chisel that molds into his own perfection, an eternal embrace that chokes out all rivals, a sharp scalpel intended to give real life and strong happiness far beyond the grave. This love has greater aims than our comfort, our health, or our safety — in this life. This love is fiercer and deeper than we often assume, better and stronger than we often want. This love can harm us, and this love can kill us.
God sent Paul to numerous places knowing Paul would suffer.
TLDR; this is an article saying basically God hurts you out of his love
link: to full thing Would a Loving God Wound Me?
I recently got into Christian websites like desiring god and was reading this article that didn't make me feel right. Is any of this true? Does God constantly harm his children to better them? I'm new to Christianity sorta so I'm not sure what the Bible fully says but this is some dark stuff. Will God cause me harm now that I'm a Christian?
He Scourges Those He Loves
God’s love does not orbit around our felt needs. He has our best, not our easiest, in mind. His love — dangerous, jealous, possessive — is the love that will consistently wound us to save us.
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. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Hebrews 12:5–6
“Chastises” here can be translated “scourges” or “whips.” It is something to endure. Something unpleasant and rather painful. Something we wouldn’t sign up for. Something we’re tempted to despise. Something that doesn’t feel tender, gentle, or loving in the moment. But his whippings are just that. Look at the text.
He strikes those he loves and harms every son whom he receives. He doesn’t discipline Satan’s children, only his own (
Hebrews 12:8
These undesirable corrections, these marks of adoption, bring us to “share his holiness” and enjoy that “peaceful fruit of righteousness” leading to eternal life
Hebrews 12:10–11
His love has sharp edges — not to destroy us, but to sever us from all that threatens to. Instead of what we often perceive to be the stormings of our angry God, proof of his disgust with us, these corrections are, in fact, the unlikely evidences of his love. As Calvin put it,
It is an inestimable consolation — that the punishments by which our sins are chastened are evidences, not of God’s anger for our destruction, but rather of his paternal love, and are at the same time of assistance towards our salvation, for God is angry with us as his sons, whom he will not leave to perish.
He will not leave us to perish. When we wander toward cliffs, he corrals us with his rod back toward heaven. What feels to be the glory of the “god of love” — being left to our own way — is, in reality, his wrath, which bears the refrain: “God gave them up . . . gave them up . . . gave them up” (
Romans 1:24
Even Death Can Be Love.
That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. . . . But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. (
1 Corinthians 11:30
God’s love does not sit by quietly, contentedly, while we wander off into destruction. It does not stand by and watch his bride play the harlot. It finds us. Redeems us. Washes us. Transforms us. Disciplines us. And sometimes it kills us.
Is this picture incompatible with the God you worship? The God who, out of love for you, will harm you in order to save you? A love that will cut, break, and cause you to bleed — like an expert surgeon — in order to heal you?
Yet God’s love, as found in the Bible, is a fire that consumes dross, a chisel that molds into his own perfection, an eternal embrace that chokes out all rivals, a sharp scalpel intended to give real life and strong happiness far beyond the grave. This love has greater aims than our comfort, our health, or our safety — in this life. This love is fiercer and deeper than we often assume, better and stronger than we often want. This love can harm us, and this love can kill us.
God sent Paul to numerous places knowing Paul would suffer.
TLDR; this is an article saying basically God hurts you out of his love
link: to full thing Would a Loving God Wound Me?
I recently got into Christian websites like desiring god and was reading this article that didn't make me feel right. Is any of this true? Does God constantly harm his children to better them? I'm new to Christianity sorta so I'm not sure what the Bible fully says but this is some dark stuff. Will God cause me harm now that I'm a Christian?
.. e.g. 
