Psalm 119:71 – It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
THEME OF THE DAY: SEEING PAIN THROUGH THE RIGHT LENS. I know envy is a sin. If we categorize sin, which we should not, envy may seem like a “little” sin, but it is anything but. It leads to a whole lot of spiritual trouble like getting our eyes off Jesus, coveting what others are or have, and even growing bitter with attitudes of “Not fair.” And I confess today’s scripture comes dangerously close to drawing me to commit the sin of envy toward the Psalmist. I mean, I want to say what he says about suffering. I want to be able to confidently proclaim to the Lord, “It is good for me that I was afflicted.” I have not arrived to that point in my life. Oh, maybe a little. Maybe a little glad submission is developing as I seek to understand the purpose of pain in my life, but for the most part, when suffering and pain come, I don’t start “jumping for joy” and shouting, “Oh, thank you, thank you, my dear friend suffering. Welcome into my life. I have so missed you.”
As suffering comes into our lives, we simply are not warm to it. We don’t like it. We want to avoid it and even try to do so. And when it comes to the spiritual life and spiritual growth, suffering is a primary tool in the Hands of the Great Potter. Our Lord has provided ample instructions showing us the way of conformity to Him is traveled on the road of suffering. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:1-5). Notice what he says is to be our attitude toward suffering; a heart of rejoicing. This is hard, actually, impossible in the strength of human flesh. That is why he would continue to remind us of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Without the resident Comforter and Teacher, we will not see pain and suffering through the right lens of interpretation. If we don’t yield to the teaching of the Spirit through the Word, we will only see pain and suffering through our sinful eyes which always want comfort and deliverance in our suffering, not conformity to Christ and spiritual development through our suffering. So, let’s change our “spiritual glasses” and see pain through the right lens; God’s lens along with those of the human writer of today’s scripture.
As the Psalmist looks back on his life and sees the many nights of tears, long enduring days of suffering, and seemingly endless seasons of worthless pain, he is awakened to God’s purpose in all his pain. He begins to see beyond the pain to the purpose. If we are going to profit from pain instead of complaining in our pain, we must always keep the goal in mind through the pain. And the goal? The Psalmist declares it – “that I might learn your statutes.” God created us to obey Him. Sin destroyed both the desire and ability for us to do so. However, in Christ, the power and desire to obey are given. We are made new in Christ to fulfill our created purpose. This does not just “happen”. Remaining sin in us wants nothing to do with obedience and suffering. It will fight tooth and nail to keep us from obedience and profiting from suffering. Yet, in comes the Spirit. He teaches us that through suffering, our pride is removed; our dependence upon God is increased; our trust in His Word is deepened; and our obedience to ensure all three of those works take root in us is brought forth. Always remember, pain and suffering are designed to teach us obedience from which pride is leveled, child-like faith developed, and a clinging to His Word for comfort and strength increased. Yes, pain has its purpose and if we learn to see it through the right lens, we will do what Paul told us – “rejoice in our sufferings” as its wonderful work unfolds in us.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to see through Your eyes, not mine, what trials, tribulations, and tears do in my life.”
QUOTE: “God has a purpose for every tear we shed and trial we endure and it is always for our good now and forever”