but you have entirely forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you are corrected by him; for whom Jehovah loves he disciplines; in fact, he scourges every one whom he receives as a son.’ It is for discipline you are enduring. God is dealing with you as with sons.”​—Heb. 12:4-7.

Nevertheless, the lesser persecutions were evidently discouraging some from continuing to carry on the contest against the sin of losing faith and apostatizing. For this reason, they needed to be reminded that the rough treatment experienced at the hands of persecutors actually served as discipline or training from Jehovah. Though very painful, the persecution that the Almighty permitted was for the good of his spiritual children. Christianized Hebrews were told: “No discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”​—Heb. 12:11.

Those Christianized Hebrews had been chosen as joint heirs of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, they would share with him in serving as kings and priests for mankind. (Rev. 5:9, 10) So, by faithfully putting up with persecution and maintaining integrity, they would be perfected for their position in the heavens.

This is well illustrated in the case of Jesus Christ himself. He had always been obedient to his heavenly Father. Nevertheless, while on earth he learned obedience under unfavorable circumstances. He suffered much, including a shameful death on an execution stake. Why? One reason for this was to perfect him for his office of high priest. Hebrews 4:15 states: “We have as high priest, not one who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in all respects like ourselves, but without sin.”

Similarly, Jesus’ associate king-priests, in having been subjected to suffering, are able to “deal moderately with the ignorant and erring ones,” as were the imperfect Aaronic priests in ancient Israel. (Heb. 5:2) Of course, suffering in itself does not qualify them for their office. Rather, it is faithfulness under pressure that determines whether they will be worthy of gaining the marvelous reward of heavenly life as Jesus’ associate king-priests.

These Kingdom heirs are not the only ones that experience persecution. Actually, anyone who does not go along with the world’s ways, attitudes and actions will incur the world’s hatred. (John 17:14) This serves as a test of one’s true heart devotion and determines whether one can be used by Jehovah God to accomplish what he wants done. Hence, what Jehovah’s servants experience in the way of persecution is really part of their training for the future. For example, the kingdom of God in the hands of Jesus Christ will have earthly representatives, “princes.” These “princes” are men who have proved faithful under test and, therefore, can safely be entrusted with weighty responsibility.​—Ps. 45:16.

So, when subjected to suffering for righteousness’ sake, we should remember that persecution is not an evidence of God’s displeasure. No, it proves that we are his servants whom he deeply loves and whom he is disciplining or training for his good purpose.