It states (Mishlei 3:12) וכאב יוכיח 'ה יאהב אשר את כי ירצה בן את, "For Hashem chastens the one He loves, as a father placates a son." Rabbeinu Yonah explains that ירצה בן את כאב means that after Hashem punishes, He shows His immense love, just as a father does after punishing his son.
The Avodas Yisrael (הנה ה"ד דברים) writes, "It is a mashal to a father who hits his son with a staff to discipline him, and afterwards, the father is kind to the son, comforts him, and tells him how much he loves him..."
The rule is that after a difficult period, better times follow. For example, the Ramchal (חכמה פתחי ח"קל) teaches, "After a hunger year, Hashem brings a lot of rain to the world." Also, there is a saying: "After a fire [when someone's possession went up in flames], Hashem sends wealth." Rebbe Pinchas of Koritz zt'l says that this is true. Hashem shows us open kindness after suffering hardship.
The Baal HaTanya says (quoted in Tzemech Tzedek, Derech Mitzvoseicha, 228), "Many people say, 'After a fire, one becomes wealthy.' I heard from holy tzaddikim that this is because the order of the middos is chesed, din, and rachamim. It is known that rachamim is greater than chesed. One receives more of Hashem's kindness from the attribute of rachamim than from the attribute of chesed... Therefore, since there was din – the fire – rachamim (a greater manifestation of chesed) will follow."
Reb Tuvia Weiss zt'l was a Rav in Antwerp (before he became the Gaavad of Yerushalayim). Once, someone asked Reb Tuvia to be mesader kiddushin, and he accepted the honor. At the chuppah, someone embarrassed Reb Tuvia for being mesader kiddushin. (This was because the rabbanim of Antwerp arranged a rotation system for themselves, for receiving the honor of siddur kiddushin. Accidentally, Reb Tuvyah Weiss was mesader kiddushin on a day that another Rav had the right to be mesader kiddushin. This prompted someone to embarrass Reb Tuvya during the chuppah.) It was very humiliating. Reb Tuvyah turned red and white from shame.
Later that evening, Reb Tuvia was learning with a chavrusa when the phone rang at 9:30. Reb Tuvyah told his chavrusa not to answer the phone. Every night, they learned until 10:00 p.m., and he didn’t want to interrupt their studies until then.
At 10:00, the phone rang again. It was the Eidah Chareidis of Yerushalayim, inviting Reb Tuvyah to be the Gaavad of Yerushalayim. This is the pattern. After enduring humiliation or any difficult period, excellent times follow.
