A year ago, over I underwent knee replacement surgery for both knees. The surgery itself was successful, but what came afterward was what I dreaded even more: physical therapy.
Every session involved discomfort. Stiff muscles had to be stretched and strengthened. Progress often came one painful movement at a time. There were days when quitting seemed far more appealing than continuing. But the therapists kept encouraging me to press forward because the temporary pain was leading to long-term healing.
Physical therapy teaches a valuable spiritual lesson. Sometimes God works in our lives much like a therapist works on an injured body. His goal is not to hurt us, but to heal us. And healing frequently involves discomfort.
The phrase “No pain, no gain” may be overused, but there is truth in it. Growth frequently requires struggle. Strength often develops through resistance. And spiritual maturity rarely happens without some measure of discipline.
The Bible speaks often about God’s discipline. Unfortunately, many people hear the word discipline and immediately think of punishment. While punishment is one meaning of the word, there is another equally important meaning: commitment to a course of training that produces growth and excellence.
Both meanings are important in the Christian life.
Dr. David Jeremiah, in his article, “Why Does God Discipline Us?,” notes that God disciplines His children for three reasons: to punish disobedience, to protect us, and to purify us.
First, God may discipline us because of disobedience. Dr. Jeremiah points to Psalm 89:30-32: “If his children forsake My law and do not walk according to My rules… then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.”
Just as a loving parent corrects a child headed toward danger, God lovingly corrects His people when they wander from His will.
Second, God disciplines to protect us. Dr. Jeremiah references Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” in 2 Corinthians 12:7. Paul received extraordinary revelations from God, yet he was given a persistent hardship to keep him from becoming prideful. What felt like a burden was actually protection.
Third, God disciplines to purify us. Hebrews 12:10 teaches that earthly fathers discipline according to their judgment, “but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.” God’s purpose is never cruelty. His purpose is transformation.
That sounds remarkably similar to physical therapy.
A therapist may ask a patient to perform exercises that hurt. The patient may not understand why the same movement must be repeated over and over. But the therapist sees the larger picture. The goal is restoration.
Likewise, God sees what we cannot see. He knows what needs strengthening, what needs healing, and what needs correction. The painful circumstances we encounter may be accomplishing spiritual work that we do not yet understand.
The writer of Hebrews acknowledges this reality: “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).
Notice that word: trained.
Physical therapy requires discipline in the second sense of the word. Patients must show up for appointments. They must perform exercises at home. They must remain committed even when progress feels slow. The greatest therapist in the world cannot help someone who refuses to participate in the process.
The same is true spiritually. Following Christ requires discipline. Prayer, worship, Scripture reading, service, forgiveness, and obedience are not always easy. Sometimes they require perseverance when we would rather quit. Yet God uses these practices to strengthen our faith and shape our character.
C.S. Lewis addressed our tendency to resist God’s discipline in The Problem of Pain. He wrote, “We want not so much a Father in Heaven as a grandfather in heaven, one whose plan for the universe is such that it might be said at the end of each day, ‘a good time was had by all.’”
Lewis recognized how shallow that expectation is. A loving God does not merely seek our comfort; He seeks our growth. As Lewis observed, God’s love is authentic precisely because He disciplines us.
The next time life feels like a difficult therapy session, remember that God has not abandoned you. He may be strengthening spiritual muscles you did not know you had. He may be protecting you from dangers you cannot see. He may be purifying your heart for greater usefulness in His kingdom.
The stretching hurts. The exercises are difficult. The progress may seem slow. But the Great Physician knows exactly what He is doing. And in God’s hands, even painful discipline can become part of the healing process.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us enough to discipline and train us. Give us the faith to trust Your purposes during painful seasons and the perseverance to continue growing into the people You have called us to be. Amen.
If you enjoyed this article, then please REPOST or SHARE with others; encourage them to follow AFNN. If you’d like to become a citizen contributor for AFNN, contact us at managingeditor@afnn.us Help keep us ad-free by donating here.
Substack: American Free News Network Substack
Truth Social: @AFNN_USA
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/afnnusa
Telegram: https://t.me/joinchat/2_-GAzcXmIRjODNh
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfnnUsa
GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/AFNN_USA
CloutHub: @AFNN_USA