When Affliction Hits

Commentary

In this life, afflictions are a reality; no one escapes going through sickness, disease, hardship, adversity, etc. While the Lord is with us through them all, there is no guaranteed removal of all the things that may afflict us over the course of our lives. Jesus taught that God causes the rain to fall on both the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45B). Living in a fallen world means that believers and unbelievers alike will suffer afflictions in their lifetimes.

But why does God allow His children to suffer many of the same afflictions that those who hate Him suffer? Verse 9 above has the answer, so that we will place greater trust in the Lord and move completely away from trusting in ourselves and the things of this world. Affliction hits because God allows such things in order to forge you like steel in a fiery furnace. To prepare you for that day when you will enter into eternity with Him and hopefully hear these words, “well done, good and faithful servant”.

Commentary

When affliction hits, it can hit hard, so hard that you might be tempted to give up, to throw in the towel, and succumb. It’s the nature of our flesh to become bitter, cynical, and faithless, but God doesn’t want you to be a resentful quitter. Instead, the Holy Spirit that lives inside of you will drive you to press forward, to focus on the unseen; the hope that you have in Jesus; the glory that awaits you in eternity — if you set aside your flesh and allow His Spirit to work in you.

Oh, how it can be so difficult to suffer in our mortal bodies; pain, disease, fear, depression, and anxiety can all be used as crowbars in order to pry us away from the peace that we have in our Lord Jesus. But whenever you feel like giving in, turn your focus to Jesus and ask Him for the strength to carry you through. He will carry you through one way or the other, either in a victory for His glory, to keep you pressing forward on your mission as His salt and light to others, or He will deliver you from this world into His waiting arms, into the place that He called Paradise.

Commentary

The faith that you and I have in Jesus takes us into the grace of God, and through Him, we too can exhibit a grace that surpasses all understanding in our times of affliction. The same affliction that drives someone to utter cynicism, drug abuse, or alcohol can be one that drives you closer to the Lord, and as a result, your relationship with Him will grow to new levels.

Though the affairs of this world can be extremely harsh to bear, we have God’s never-ending love to see us through. When an unbeliever sees the joy that you still have, even though you are in physical or emotional pain, you become a bright shining light of Christ to them. The glory you bring to God by allowing Him to work through you, even in the toughest of times, is immeasurable and will help to build a case for Christ in the hearts and minds of those who are currently seeking the truth. I don’t know about you, but I want Christ to radiate from me no matter what my situation is — whether I’m enjoying a season of blessing or enduring a season of trying affliction, may God be glorified in all that I do.

Commentary

When the moment is darkest, it will be natural to seek comfort in people, things, medical advice, other people’s experiences, and the like, but God and His Word are the only place to find true lasting comfort and strength that will help you to endure. Know that whatever you may be facing today, Jesus is with you. As the apostle Paul states above, there is nothing created that can ever separate us from the love of Christ. Even if you are struggling with great affliction right now, your comfort and strength can be found in the love that He has for you and in His written Word. Let His words comfort you in all your days and take note of how the Lord has comforted you in your afflictions, so that you may share that comfort with others who need it also.

It is written:

Commentary

We can be tempted to believe that our afflictions and suffering are from God, that maybe we didn’t have enough faith, but those are lies of demons. Our afflictions come from the fallen state that we and this world are in, which is under the sway of the evil one and his demons. We can be afflicted by things out of our control and also by things of our own doing, like the consequences of bad decisions, sowing to our flesh and poor health habits.

Though God allows such affliction and suffering, there is always a purpose behind Him allowing it. We know forging our faith is one purpose, but He may never reveal the full purpose to us. We must understand that if we knew the mind of God and what His plans were for each of us, then we would certainly ask God to answer our prayers just as He does, rather than what we originally asked for.

My brother or sister, we are more than conquerors in Christ! Our Lord Jesus told us that there would be suffering in this world, but to be of courage because He has overcome this world!

Every day and in all things, rejoice in the Lord, for He is your Rock and your Redeemer, the Author and Finisher of your faith; in Him you are a conqueror and He has predestined a day for you when you will overcome this world — all you must do is endure and keep the faith. God will sustain you until you shed this mortal body and join Him in eternity, so live now for Him in all that you do and through all that you endure.