February 23

Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. — Job 5:17 BSB

No one feels happy in the midst of trouble! No one enjoys suffering or sorrow. Therefore, this verse seems strange to many people. They can’t understand it because it contradicts their ideas of happiness. Of course, the word “happy” here isn’t used in the world’s sense. In the world’s view, happiness is a pleasure that comes from favorable circumstances. When comfort and prosperity are taken away, happiness disappears.

But in this verse, the word means “blessed,” and the statement is that blessing comes to the person who receives God’s correction. To correct is to set right something that has gone wrong. Surely if a person is headed in the wrong direction and God corrects them and sets them back on the right path, they have received a blessing. Afflictions are God’s corrections. They come with a purpose of love, even though they may be hard to accept at first. The blessing is revealed afterward. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11