It is no secret that whether you are a Christian or a non-believer we will all go through trials and suffering during our lifetimes. And clearly some of us go through more severe afflictions than others. Sadly, when these intense trials and afflictions hit us, many people find it convenient to blame God for their suffering. But what is even sadder, many Christians curse God when affliction strikes.
I believe that one of the main reasons God gets so much bad press is that people often confuse life with God. I am going to make a statement that many of you reading this devotion might find hard to accept but when we look at the world objectively, I feel I can safely say that life isn’t fair. For example, why are some people born blind or deformed in some other way, while most of us are blessed with the gift of sight. Or why do millions go hungry to bed every night, while most of us have plenty to eat? I could give countless other examples of the unfairness of life. The problem, and this is why so many people blame God for their woes, is that they make the great mistake of confusing life with God. While life is not fair, God is always fair.
In yesterday’s devotion we spoke about the mysterious ways of God and how God will work all things together for good for those who love him (Romans 8:28). And all things include, yes, even afflictions. You see God is not so much concerned with the temporary afflictions we go through as much as He is concerned with using these negatives to build up our faith and bring about blessings in His timing and His unique ways. After all, for the believer, life is in reality, training grounds for eternity.
And when we get hit hard with adversity we have a choice. We can either blame God and grow bitter or thank God for allowing the trial and us to be part of His overall good plan, and become better. I love what the psalmist said in (Psalm 119:50, 92): “This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life.” And: “Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.” Notice how the psalmist links his delight in the Word of God with his ability to overcome his afflictions because he understands that we can even get comfort in the storms of life when we know who is ultimately in control of every trial. In (Psalm 119) we read nine times how the psalmist takes delight in the Word of God (verses 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 143, 174).
My friends, when afflictions hit us, the best antidote for not sinking under their weight, is to delight in how wonderful the Scriptures are and how much Jesus loves us and has a special plan for our lives. Imagine, if the psalmist, who had only a portion of the Old Testament Bible, and none of the New Testament, could overcome adversity by delighting in the limited Word of God that he had, how much more should we, having the complete Word, delight in it.
I feel sad for non-believers, when they get hit hard with trials, since they just don’t have the coping mechanisms, or the Scriptures, to deal with these painful situations in life. For you see only a true Christian can actually rejoice in the trials of life because He understands that God has a divine purpose in allowing them to afflict him, and that His Word offers us peace in the midst of the storm. Christian, be of good courage and delight in the Word, for the Bible will prove to be your ultimate source of comfort in a world where life clearly is not fair.