TAUGHT
BY AFFLICTION
BREAD
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about
the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great
pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed,
in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might
not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He
has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we
have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as
you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the
gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NIV)
2 Consider
it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance
must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking
anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)
6 In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to
suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith--of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine
and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though
you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now,
you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for
you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:6-9 (NIV)
1 Therefore,
since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this
grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not
only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering
produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And
hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
7 During
the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud
cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard
because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what
he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of
eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and
was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:7-10 (NIV)
5 May
the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among
yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so
that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6 (NIV)
13 May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that
you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 (NIV)
BUTTER
“Sufferings have obtained an ill name in
the world, but God’s rod and love may stand together. God teaches His people in afflictions. He teaches us to feel compassion toward others
who are suffering. We are prone to be
insensitive toward others who are suffering when we are at ease in Zion. He also teaches us to prize our outward
mercies and comforts more, and yet to dote upon them less. We are to be more thankful for them but less
ensnared by them. Next, God teaches us
self-denial and obedient submission to His will. In our prosperity we are full of our own
wills, and usually give God counsel as if we could tell God how it might have
been better. We dispute out cross, when
we should take it up. By bearing a
little we learn to bear more.” Thomas
Case
“The Incarnation
gave the already infinitely wise and perfect Son of God the experiential
acquisition of knowledge about the human condition. Suffering thus became a
reality that He tasted and from it He can sympathize deeply with His followers.
(The Gr. has an interesting play on words in the verbs He learned [emathen] and He
suffered [epathen].)” Bible
Knowledge Commentary
“Coming to Jesus for rest doesn’t shield us from
afflictions. It transforms afflictions from fear-dominating, anxiety-producing,
and hopeless to ‘light and momentary.’ Hoping in the God of hope makes all the
difference. So, Jesus says to us, ‘Come to me.’ His shepherd’s heart toward us is
filled with the same compassion, and his invitation is as urgent and tender as
ever. But it is an invitation that must be accepted. Many do not.” Jon Bloom
“The sorest
afflictions never appear intolerable, except when we see them in the wrong
light.” Brother
Lawrence
“Pride naturally runs in our veins, and it
is nourished by ease and prosperity. By
trouble we come to know our own heart.
God seeks to develop meekness in His people by affliction, then save
them from affliction.” Thomas Case
“The
Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.” Charles
H. Spurgeon
“In the middle of a howling storm in
the soul, in the agony of ‘a severe test of affliction’ (2 Corinthians 8:2), it
is easy to grow weary, and the temptation can be strong to just give up. At
that point, what we often most need is an exhortation to ‘endure hardness, as a
good soldier of Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 2:3). Because ‘by [our] endurance [we]
will gain [our] lives’ (Luke 21:19).” Jon Bloom
“Every affliction comes with a
message from the heart of God.” Alexander Maclaren
“They who dive in the sea of affliction bring up rare
pearls.” Charles Spurgeon
“Suffering
lets the soul see — see the deep suffering around us, see the deep
suffering within us, see the suffering Savior who deeply absorbs all suffering,
and carries us Home where there is no suffering for evermore. Suffering
doesn’t mean you’re cursed, suffering means you’re human. Regardless of what
Instagram or all the glossy ads are shilling: All your suffering isn’t
some unique anomaly, suffering is the universal experience of all
humanity. The question isn’t ‘Why is
there brokenness and suffering in my life?’ — but ‘Why wouldn’t there be
suffering because such is life in a broken world?’ Buy the lie that your life is supposed to be
heaven on earth, and suffering can be a torturous hell. But accept and
expect that life is a battle, then suffering isn’t a problem but part of
earth’s topography to cross on our way to heaven.” Ann
Voskamp
HEART
SAVOR
·
God
teaches us in our afflictions lessons that we could not have learned otherwise.
·
Do not
fight against the hard. Seek to grow
more like Him loving obedience, righteousness and justice.
·
Ask God
to use your pain for His purposes in your life.
Don’t waste it by grumbling and complaining.
