by Gary Henry<\/p>\n
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word<\/em>” (Psalms 119:67).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Painful experiences can help us, but only if we allow them to. “My brethren<\/em>,” James wrote, “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work<\/em>” (James 1:2-4). So, enduring hardship is beneficial for us – if we allow the process to complete its work.<\/p>\n
In Psalms 119:67, the psalmist said that affliction had made him a better person, more faithful in his walk with God: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word<\/em>.” In this context, affliction means being chastened or humbled by God. In Psalms 119:71,75, we hear the writer pray, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes . . . I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me<\/em>.”<\/p>\n
But can suffering actually inspire us? Yes, I believe it can.<\/p>\n
First, we’re inspired to live courageously. Having survived, what a thrill it is to look to the future with new eyes, seeing bold possibilities rather than problems. “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son<\/em>” (Revelation 21:7).<\/p>\n
Second, we’re inspired to live gratefully. In Christ, you and I are like war refugees: having been given sanctuary when we were helpless, we are grateful. And having been rescued from such an ordeal, we’re inspired to a higher kind of life. We will work hard and contribute generously to the community that helped us rise from the rubble.<\/p>\n
Third, we’re inspired to view others compassionately. This one may be the most important. If affliction should make anyone more compassionate, shouldn’t that be the Christian? Though the suffering is hard to bear, if it gives us a heart for other sufferers – and inspires us to compassionate living – our new vision is worth the price we paid.<\/p>\n
Sadly, we spend so much time avoiding hardship, as if finding the course of least resistance were our primary goal. When we live this way, we hurt ourselves more than we know. We’d be better off if we stood up straight, looked hardship straight in the eye, and said, “I am not going to dodge this difficulty. In the Lord’s strength, I am going to deal with it – and deal with it rightly.”<\/p>\n
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced” (James Baldwin).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Gary Henry “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Psalms 119:67). Painful experiences can help us, but only if we allow them to. “My brethren,” James wrote, “count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[182,188],"class_list":["post-91129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-suffering","tag-trials"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":40908,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/psalms-119\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":0},"title":"Psalms 119","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverb 4:10-17 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0How do you learn? What do you need to learn? \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The evil decay, but a child of God must learn - II Timothy 3:13-17 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is important for all aspects of life - II Peter 1:3 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Your parents have invested a lot\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11878,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-series-on-pride-has-been-very-helpful\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":1},"title":"Your series on “pride” has been very helpful","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have been reading your\u00a0sermon outlines\u00a0for about a year now and using some of your topics for my own messages. Today I plan on teaching from Psalms 119:71 \"It is good for me that I have been afflicted: that I might learn thy statutes.\" I will also be preaching\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25787,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-is-it-good-when-your-wife-commits-adultery\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":2},"title":"How is it good when your wife commits adultery?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 8, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Romans 8:28 says everything works for good. If you were in a marriage relationship, where you did everything you possibly could for your spouse, where you sacrificed a lot for them, then they cheated on you with the possibility of leaving you with some STIs, How is that good?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31899,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/whos-god-looking-for\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":3},"title":"Who’s God Looking For?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Flora Hartsell Tant \"The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him\" (II\u00a0Chronicles 16:9). I was just thinking: What or who is God looking for? I remember the words of our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":26341,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/meditation\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":4},"title":"Meditation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Download Audio by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 119:145-152 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is one of those minor points brought out by the Bible; a seemingly incidental detail that you almost overlook - Genesis 24:63 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Isaac took a stroll in the evening in a field to meditate. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0We are given a hint\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27029,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-explain-the-meaning-of-worthless-in-psalms-11937-and-psalms-1013\/","url_meta":{"origin":91129,"position":5},"title":"Can you explain the meaning of “worthless” in Psalms 119:37 and Psalms 101:3?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 3, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Psalms 119:37 the word \"worthless\" is used in the NKJV and the word \"vanity\" is used in the NASB. Also in Psalms 101:3, the NASB uses the word \"worthless\" and the NKJV uses \"wicked.\" Which is correct? 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