A divine punishment is also a divine gift

“A divine 'punishment’ is also a divine 'gift’, if accepted, since its object is ultimate blessing, and the supreme inventiveness of the Creator will make 'punishments’ (that is changes of design) produce a good not otherwise to be attained” 
--J.R.R. Tolkien

Cooper paused to seemingly brace himself as he read a quote by English writer J.R.R. Tolkien that Colbert had referenced in a past interview.
"You went on to say, 'What punishments of God are not gifts?' Do you really believe that?" Cooper asked.
"Yes," Colbert affirmed after a short pause. "It's a gift to exist, and with existence comes suffering. There's no escaping that."
The comedian clarified that "I want it to not have happened, but if you are grateful for your life ... then you have to be grateful for all of it. You can't pick and choose what you're grateful for."
Colbert pointed out that suffering allows people to relate to one another. He said: "What do you get from loss? You get awareness of other people's loss, which allows you to connect with that other person, which allows you to love more deeply and to understand what it's like to be a human being, if it's true that all humans suffer."
--Newsweek 8/16/19