While some suffering can be the Lord’s discipline to draw us back toward him (Heb. 12:5–11), it is not the Lord’s punishment for us, if we are in Christ. Christ has borne the condemnation, “not in part, but the whole.” And this storm may yet be God’s instrument to remind us (or those around us) of our utter dependence on the grace of God. It is always true that we are completely dependent on the grace of God for our salvation. It is always true that we are not in control. It is always true that we need Christ more than we can imagine.
