Chastening and trials

It's been neat for me recently to reflect on the trials that I have faced and how they have shaped me for the better.  This includes my anxiety disorder and the struggles with mental illness.  I was reminded of a talk by Elder Christofferson from the April 2011 General Conference.  I loved the reminder that God chastens us because He loves us.  At around this time, I had had a class on campus where we talked about how loving someone truly sometimes involves hurting them for their good.  When I or others don't let others know that they need to make a change because we are afraid they may be upset with us, it is good to reflect on whether this is out of selfish self interest.  Sometimes we do need to hurt those we love and chasten them, and it is so neat that God does this so freely and willingly, knowing perfectly what His children's reactions will be, that some will reject Him and His loving counsel.

It is certainly neat to reflect on the goodness of God giving men what they need, even if they end up choosing to ignore those things.  He does for His children what they need, despite what He knows will happen because He knows it is what they need, and they have the ultimate choice of what to do with it.

I hope I can accept God's love inspired counsel and rebuke more willingly, and that I can be more like our Heavenly Father in this regard, chastening those around me in a loving way when they need to know they could do better, even when I may fear they may reject the counsel or even my as a person because of it.