“Faithful are the wounds of a friend” [Proverbs 27:6]

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend”. Sometimes it is necessary to wound in order to heal: this is notably so in the case of surgery when the surgeon makes an incision to remove diseased tissue.
It is also true in the things of the Spirit. Our waywardness and refusal to listen and obey the voice of the Lord make it necessary to wound our spirits to cleanse them of those things that defile and hinder our growth.
Wounding after this manner is so different from wounds in battle. There is no enmity, evil or malice in the wounds of a friend. All is done for our good.
We need faith to understand that when the Lord hurts it is to heal, when He withholds it is to give more abundantly.
Trust the Lord and see there is good in all His treatment.