“Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your Word.”
Psalm 119:67

God chastens us in his faithfulness, for our good, always and only for our good. God chastens us because in our natural state we are prone to pride and selfishness. We are born narcissistic. That’s what “a fallen human nature” is.

Look back upon the times in your life when everything changed because of what you learned during a hard time. What you learned is worth a thousand times more than what you suffered, and for the believer what you learned is eternal in value.

vs 75:
“I know, O Lord, that your judgments are right,
and that IN FAITHFULNESS you have afflicted me.”

When you bring thanksgiving to the Lord, do not be remiss in thanking him for the hard times also. He loves you and is using them to create a glorious future for you.

“Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present,
but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields
the peaceable fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11

Think about it: would you want it any other way?