The Affliction of the Believer - Psalm 119:67 and 71

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn your statutes. Psalms 119:67,71

Why am I in pain?

Sometimes, only God knows the exact answer to that question.

Sometimes, with a little patience and waiting on the Lord, I can figure it out; I can understand it enough. I’m sure there are always depths to any situation that I don’t fully comprehend.

And maybe the simple answer is the best one today.

This passage from Psalm 119 says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray…” (And by the way, I’m skipping some verses in the passage today, but please read Psalm 119:65-72 if you have the time today)

Those are sobering words. I went astray, so the Lord afflicted me. Or some would rather say it like this, “The Lord allowed me to be afflicted.”

My heart and my behavior matter. They matter to me, to my family, my place of employment, my community, my church, and the church.

When my heart and behavior are astray, it affects the whole.

Jesus, on the worst day of His life, and on the most pivotal day in all of history, bought me. I am no longer mine.

And by belonging to Him, He gives me freedom.

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin. Romans 6:6 (CSB)

And in case I miss it, the Psalmist says that it was good, good for me to be afflicted. That is a difficult thing to hear, but if God says it through this Psalm, I must hear it. I must take it in for all it is worth. For, I really just want to run from such a thought.

Yet, I am a believer. He has given me His word. His word is truth. I must face it head on.

The Lord is in charge. He is doing a work in me. And He uses affliction along with other means to do it.

I am not God. I don’t get to say to Him, “That’s okay, I don’t need that affliction.”

That’s sorta like going to the dentist to get my teeth fixed. And there he is drilling away, and I say, “That’s good right there. I’ve had enough drilling. My teeth are fine now.”

No, he’s going to burn through my teeth and fill them with gold.

What about my attitude? I have a choice. I can be all so mad, really mad at God about my affliction, or I can sweetly reach out to Him over and over and watch Him minister to me like the angels ministered to Him.

He says it was good to be afflicted so that I can learn His statutes. His word. I won’t learn without the affliction. Even if I read it, I’ll just zoom right on through like I’m running a stop sign on my way to work.

Now see I almost missed this. I’m going to go back a few words. He says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray.”

In other words, it was the affliction that led him to look at God. Without the affliction, he would have gone on doing whatever his heart desired and calling it good.

God afflicted Him because he loved Him. Jesus loves me. Therefore, He will afflict me when He knows it is best for me. He is teaching me to really listen to His word. To slow down and wait upon him. Those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Is 40:31

And this affliction saves me from the ultimate affliction. God put that affliction on His son. Jesus died on the cross nailing my sins there.

I am now a new creation. Because of the affliction of Jesus and His on me, I can seek His face. I can desire to be with Him. I can trust that He disciplines those He loves.

In that affliction, I can feel like Jesus is so far away from me. I can feel that he does not love me, that I do not matter to Him. But it is just the opposite. I’m being afflicted because He is doing a powerful work in me, today.

Jesus, I don’t like affliction. But I desire to be 100% yours. I don’t want to be half a Christian. I want to live for you every day. I want to depend upon you every day. Even Jesus, when He was here depended upon the Father. I depend upon you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to do what you will in my life. Help me to trust You in the midst of the affliction. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.