Do we ever consider that affliction might be a gift from God? Psalm 119 has a number of verses that speak of affliction in ways that might surprise us. . . Psa. 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. In this case affliction was a means to bringing the Psalmist back to the Lord. This individual went from waywardness to obedience as a direct result of difficulty coming into his life. Psa. 119:71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The Psalmist recognized that being afflicted was actually a good thing, because it led to him receiving instruction from God’s Word. Psa. 119:75 I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. The Psalmist understood that his affliction was an expression of God’s faithfulness. That is a powerful concept! This view of affliction is not limited to Psalm 119. There are so many examples in both the Old and New Testaments. One of the most poignant in the Old Testament is from the prayer of King Hezekiah after his life-threatening illness. Here is part of his reflection: Is. 38:17 Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. And perhaps the greatest expression of this theme is from the pen of the apostle Paul: 2 Cor. 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. May the Lord richly encourage us as we reflect on such passages. And may we walk through difficulties with a renewed sense of confidence and hope because of his precious promises to us. Pastor Greg
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