In my daily readings, I have reached Psalm 119, read alongside Jeremiah, both parts of the Bible which are not necessarily easy to read but which I find, perhaps because of my temperament, reassuringly honest and without platitudes. Ps 119 talks a lot about suffering and persecution, but even more about the comfort and help received from God’s promises. Tucked away in this psalm, I came across a couple of verses which stopped me in my tracks: ‘It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees’ (Ps 119:71) and ‘I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me’ (Ps 119:75).
So often, when suffering and affliction knock at our door, our first reaction is one of injured bewilderment. ‘Why me? Why now? Why this?’ No one relishes illness and infirmity; no one really wants to be afflicted, whatever form that affliction might take. Non-Christians might blame God for their trouble (even though they do not believe in Him), but Christians are faced with a truth which is both reassuring and uncomfortable. God is in sovereign control. Nothing happens without His knowledge. Nothing can thwart His plans. But when we are personally affected by affliction, that often makes us question either God’s sovereignty or His goodness.
Yet the psalmist talks about the positive benefits of affliction (‘so that I might learn your decress’, a sad reflection that most of the lessons we learn are learnt the hard way!) and about the character of God even in affliction (‘in faithfulness You have afflicted me.’) Instead of praying ‘God, get me out of here!’ the way we usually do, the psalmist prays ‘May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.’ (Ps 119:76-77)
Very often, we cannot change our circumstances. We may be suffering from a long-term illness, facing a permanent disability, trapped in a dead-end job, hemmed in relationships which stifle us, or any other myriad situations which cause us to despair. The enemy of our souls tells us that this is because we have sinned, because God doesn’t love us, because He has forsaken us. But Jeremiah reminds us ‘The “worst” is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won’t ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.’ (Lam 3:30-33, The Message)
We can’t change our circumstances (God can, but doesn’t always), but we can change our attitudes. We can be like the psalmist and acknowledge the benefits of affliction: ‘My troubles turned out all for the best— they forced me to learn from your textbook.‘ ‘your testing has taught me what’s true and right.‘ We can choose to worship, no matter what.
‘When days are gold and life is good,
When the plans we make go as they should,
Or when the sky turns dark and heartache falls,
And a lonely painful season calls.
We will worship with all of our hearts,
We will worship all that You are,
Through the best, through the worst,
Jesus, we choose, we will worship You.’ (‘We Will Worship’, Kutless)
