Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth. Hebrews 12:6.
It has been well said that "earthly cares are a heavenly discipline," but they are even something better than discipline; they are God’s chariots, sent to take the soul to its high places of triumph. In the Canticles we are told of "a chariot paved with love." We cannot always see the love lining to our own particular chariot—it often looks very unlovely; but every chariot sent by God must necessarily be paved with love, since God is love. It is His love, indeed, that sends the chariot.
Look upon your chastenings, then, no matter how grievous they may be for the present, as God’s chariots, sent to carry your souls into the "high places" of spiritual achievement and uplifting, and you will find that they are, after all, "paved with love."—Smith.