Some of this is from Edith Schaeffer’s book “Affliction”
The approach to affliction is very delicate when seen in the light of its importance in the whole of history. We are wrong to push it (the hardship, the illness, the tragedy, the death, whatever affliction it may be), of each individual’s life on earth. To push it aside (to listen to clamoring voices to prove the Lord is with us and has the power to change our situation), instead of willingly accepting His answer and His subsequent grace to go on…, will have far reaching results. For example, Jesus could have proved He was the Son of God, but He did not listen to the jeers.
On a personal level, when I was half-dead with Pancreatitis, a friend visited me and told me I would not be sick if I trusted the Lord; if I believed He could heal me, He would heal me on the spot, she said. She offered Job as an example of someone not trusting the Lord, and how he and his family suffered because Job was continually praying for God to forgive his and the sins of his children. (I listened to that in stunned amazement, since Job is a true example of faith and trust in God) Job’s cry (19:25-27) showed an understanding that there is no balanced solution until the resurrection. And David, too, when he said, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I will be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.” Psa. 17:15. It is in the future when we see balance things that are not easily seen here.
When I asked my friend if she believed the Lord would answer her prayer, she affirmed that He would. Then I reminded her of the men who let down the bed of a sick man through the roof in order for their friend to be healed, and “the Lord, seeing the men’s faith” healed the man. Then I asked her to pray for me. She was suddenly not as sure of herself.
We cannot live unto ourselves or die unto ourselves, and that includes every incident in our individual time on earth. We cause ripples that never end by the way we live and the choices we make. Thank God for forgiveness and for fresh starts daily, but the fact that He does forgive our transgressions does not mean that we have not affected history. If, in the midst of our affliction (whatever that might be), we pray as we work, in the field, on a rock, by the sea shore, as a lone care taker, or alone from loss of loved ones, that is what God expects His children to do. If His answer is to change our circumstances and give us relief, than we thank Him and worship Him, ‘who is able to do all things.’ But if His answer is, as it was to Paul, that the ‘thorn’ was not to be removed, but that He will give His sufficient grace to go on, a moment at the time, then we are to answer as Jesus did, “Thy will be done.” Or, “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” Which is the greatest victory? The utter fairness of all this is that one day we will have more understanding of where the greatest battles were won, where the greatest miracles of victory took place. The compassion and tenderness of our loving Heavenly Father will take forever to learn about; we will never get to the end. It was His love, which prompted the Gospel, which caused Him to plan the way of salvation through the affliction and suffering of the Trinity.
Our reactions, and what we actively do because of them, have the power to change a piece of history and it can glorify God. When we see how each section of our lives is like making a quilt or building a house, life takes on more meaning. Each detailed piece of the work, whether easy or hard, all works together to ultimately make the whole and understanding that helps. Some patches of this journey or ‘building’ are easier and others are harder, causing profound pain… Some we can skip through, laughing and carefree because the sun is shining and no trouble on the horizon. There are limitations in doing great things we might aspire to, but there are no limitations in giving God glory. Limitations in doing grand projects come in a prison cell, hospital bed, concentration camps and wheel chairs, but giving God praise and glory comes with no limitations, even in those places.
The subject on affliction is inexhaustible, and the varieties of affliction are never ending. However, the answer to all our sorrows is being thankful to God for holding us in His hands, regardless of the particular patch of anguish or great happiness we experience
An excellent article Sue, I must agree with it entirely. I would not agree with the other lady, but you have corrected her misunderstanding of our afflictions. We have afflictions in our life, as you so stated, because of choices we have made, and because life just is. Jesus also told us to pick up our cross and to follow him. When we give ourselves to God in trust, faith, and prayer, then our healing will happen as He sees the need. Thank you for sharing this enlightening message. God bless.
Very good, Sue.
I didn’t notice that you (or Edith) attributed the source of affliction as coming from God. Contrary to some teachings, I have always believed that the negatives in our lives come from satan since he is the lord of this earth (until Jesus comes back) and already has the “authority” from God.
What God looks for in us is HOW we respond to and handle those uncomfortable, negatives. As with Jesus, there will always be these situations – its how we deal with them that matters.
Yes, we DO need to praise God always, even in the midst of bad times, but never to thank Him FOR them! He’s our Heavenly Father; He loves us so much more than the best earthly father, and earthly daddy wouldn’t purposely cause harm to us, just to “test” us!
My sincere thanks for your comment. Most of the article is my own thoughts, though the idea and the lesson on the whole, came from my study of affliction in the lives of Christians, including Edith’s book. I did not intend to say God is author of our affliction. History, itself, is cause and effect. It began with Adam and Eve, who were the only people on earth who knew what a perfect world was and then an imperfect earth resulting from their own choice. Their choice was the result of satan’s lies. So, from that stand point, sin has prevailed since that day. Satan is ‘prince’ right now. But while God did not give me Pancreatitis, for example, I am responsible for my own attitude and response. I do not thank God for an illness, but I thank Him for His goodness to me in the midst of my pain or loss. That was the intended lesson.., that each life is important in history and choices we make has a ripple effect. I do not believe Jesus was blaming God for the death of Lazarus, but he wept in his anger at death.., which was caused by sin that entered the earth.
Thank you for pointing that out since I do not want to leave the impression that I blame God for affliction. I did want to make clear the answer to our pain is to thank the Lord for His love and guidance in the midst of the pain. Romans 8:28
Please consider commenting on this if you see that I am mistaken or that I am not understanding in this important area.
I sincerely appreciate your thoughts on this article. I had lived an active
life, raising four boys, then a continuing full life welcoming each lovely
daughter in law, and then lending help with the precious grandchildren. Upon
sudden, agonizing pain, I was diagnosed with a chronic, many times fatal
illness and everything in my happy world turned upside down. I, like you,
had to learn to take the next step. I begin studying catastrophes and
tragedies in the lives of Christians. It became clear that both storms and
sunshine makes the whole of an individual’s life. If we, as Christians, are
happy only in sunshine, we are weak and immature in faith. It dawned on me
that one’s faith in the Lord is more notable in the hard places, in the
excruciating storms of life, not in the sunshine. Moreover, in pain and
anguish, according to the way we respond to it, we mature in both faith and
life in general. Then (it seems to me), whether a Christian is a caregiver
in a tiny area (as in a hospital or a room at home), or in prison, or
stranded as was John on The Isle of Patmos, or laid up with an illness or
broken bone, the event is not the question.., the most important thing is to
not waste the time, regardless of how restrictive that time may be.
Thank you again for checking out the new post and for your comment.