His chastising hand!

"I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that You have afflicted me in faithfulness." Psalm 119:75

Christian, cherish high thoughts of God in all of His dealings towards you. Should your trials be great--still hold fast your confidence, and yield not to a complaining or desponding spirit. Remember that it is for the profit of His people, that God afflicts them. However hard to be borne at the time, they have been brought to see at length, that they had cause to reckon their severest sorrows--as the chief of their mercies! By afflictions:
  they were weaned from the world;
  their affections were more ardently fixed upon heavenly things;
  their souls were purified, even as gold in the fire;
  the preciousness of Christ was realized as it had never been before;
  they were led to live, not merely nearer to Him--but more entirely upon Him, and also much more for Him!

May our afflictions produce such happy results! We shall then have abundant reason to bless God for His chastising hand.

"God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness." Hebrews 12:10

 (John MacDuff, "The Christian's Pathway" 1858)