I have a friend who's going through some challenges right
now. I sent my friend this little note today ... and thought maybe it
worth sharing more widely with others of you here.
- David Sellnow
(Maybe you've noticed,
the main posts on this blog tend to happen toward the end of the week, on
Fridays or Saturdays. But usually around Tuesday or so I like to offer
you some small extra point of contact here.)
******************
Faithful in Affliction
"I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous, and that in
faithfulness you have afflicted me" (Psalm 119:75).
That word of prayer is hard for me to say, hard for you to
say. When we are afflicted, when things get hard, our first instinct is
to say, "God, you're not fair. This is ridiculous! How could
you possibly ask me to put up with this?"
But we keep praying, we keep leaning on God. Maybe
people here on earth have treated us unfairly. Maybe situations here on
earth will twist and contort us way out of our comfort zone. But the LORD
our God is never unfair. And he doesn't let us go through any ordeals or
"valleys of the shadow of death" without going through
it all with us, right by our side. Our good shepherd has his rod and staff
in hand, to battle for us and pull us out of trouble, and we are comforted
(cf. Psalm 23:4).
Lord, forgive us for thinking you are unfair in your dealings
with us. We know that even in our afflictions, you remain faithful and
true to us always. Your ways are righteous. In faithfulness you
allow us to suffer, but you walk with us through every detail of the suffering
-- and no one knows suffering better than you do, Lord Jesus. You walked
the road to your own execution, a cross crushing your shoulders, thorns
piercing your skull, whip lashes oozing blood from your back.
You walked the path of affliction for us. Now, when we
are afflicted, walk with us. We trust you.
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