Psalm 119:71 – "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that
I might learn thy statutes."
To illustrate, have you heard about the "gator
aid" that was given to enlisted men in a Florida training camp during World War II?
The daily training for those GIs included a run through an obstacle course. On
the final stretch of the endurance test, they had to grab a rope and swing
across a broad, shallow pool. Under the blazing southern sun the water looked
so inviting to the men that most of them soon developed a habit of making it
only halfway across the pond--that is, until an enterprising lieutenant made it
the new home for a large alligator. From that day on, the recruits left the
ground 15 feet from the water's edge and fell sprawling in the dust on the
other side. Likewise, our behavior as Christians must sometimes be shaped by
the "encouragement" of the danger of unfavorable circumstances.
Without God's loving correction and faithful discipline we would never develop
spiritual strength and endurance. If the Lord didn't permit threatening
conditions to come into our lives, we'd soon succumb to feelings of
self-sufficiency and overconfidence. The next time you feel the pain of a
distressing situation, remember the words of David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy
statutes."
Sometimes afflictions do come because of sin. Hebrews 12:6
tells us, “For whom the Lord loveth he
chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” So when afflictions
come your way, the first thing you should do is examine yourself – do a
spiritual checkup – ask yourself, “Have I committed some sin and not confessed
it?” Because God does punish His disobedient children. When a child of God
sins, the Holy Spirit immediately speaks to him or her and convicts them of
that sin. Our response to that conviction is what determines whether we suffer
under the chastening hand of God. If we ignore the Spirit’s warning, then God
will judge – and sometimes the judgment of God can be very heavy. God will use
whatever it takes to get your attention. The best thing to do is listen to the
convicting voice of the Spirit and save ourselves the affliction.
But afflictions aren’t always a result of God’s judgment –
sometimes they are for the purpose of bringing glory to God. In John 9:3, after
His disciples asked, “Who did sin, this
man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” Christ answered, “Neither … but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him.” Christ was saying, “Not all affliction is the
result of sin – sometimes it’s just so that God can be glorified.” We see time
after time in the Scriptures, where God brings about tribulation just so that
He can receive glory to Himself.
Sometimes, God brings affliction to test our faith. James
1:3-4 says, “Knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience … that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing.” Job was perfect before God, yet God let Satan afflict Him
– in his family – in his possessions – in his body. His wife advised him to
just curse God and die – his “friends” encouraged him to confess his sins – yet
Job’s answer was, “Though he slay me yet
will I serve Him (Jb 13:15).” What tremendous faith.
So, friend, when you suffer under the heavy hand of
tribulation – or see someone suffer affliction – or hear a siren go by – don’t
automatically assume the worst – God may be performing a work that we just
can’t understand. Just praise God and pray for the one afflicted.
"Lord, help us each day to understand your Will. Help us, when afflictions come our way, to understand that it could be your way to teach us to just slow down and listen. Amen."
