"And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our
brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us,
and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us"
(Genesis 42:21).
Sometimes, the problems we face, our trials and persecution have been
allowed by God to draw our attention to our failures and points of
negligence. Our challenges are meant to show us the obligations we
have ignored, the responsibilities we have shirked, the mercies we
failed to show, and the God-ordained duties we have abandoned. But
only the thoughtful individuals and those sensitive in the spirit are
able to see beyond the sufferings, injuries and injustices they are
passing through and learn the lessons.
Every trouble comes with a positive lesson, and there is no
persecution without education. God would not allow any pain to come
our way except it will offer us some gain. Even when God punishes, it
is often correctional because He loves us and not merely to make us
suffer for our wrongdoings. Afflictions, therefore, when carefully
handled could produce in us a more effective lifestyle, the blessings
of which will completely swallow the pains created by the affliction.
No wonder David said in Psalms 119:71, that "It is good for me that I
have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes". For him,
affliction became a school that drove him to the word of God, an
action he would not have taken if he had not been afflicted.
Praying that God should deliver us from the problems we are facing is
good and needful. But it might be more helpful to pray to the Lord to
show us what lessons to pick out of the unpalatable situations that He
allowed us to pass through. Joseph's brothers found themselves going
through trying times while attempting to buy grains in Egypt. Rather
than merely bemoaning their afflictions and calling on God to destroy
their enemies, they allowed themselves to be reminded of their failure
to show mercy to their brother several years back. Joseph as governor
of Egypt obviously noticed their remorse and acceptance of guilt and
felt that they should not be punished further, having learnt their
lessons. Many times, it is our inability to learn the necessary
lessons quickly enough that keeps us for long in the school of
affliction.
So, my beloved, may be you need to stop all the binding and losing,
fall-down-and-die prayers for the time being, and start asking God to
show you why things are the way they are with a view to learning
divine lessons. Answers to such inquiries may be more productive.
Rebecca once found herself in a very unpleasant situation when she was
pregnant. Rather than binding and calling down fire upon her enemies,
she went into prayers, inquiring from the Lord why things were the way
they were (see Genesis 25:22-23). She got an answer that gave her
peace for the present and direction for the future.
O that the Lord will make us wise!
brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us,
and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us"
(Genesis 42:21).
Sometimes, the problems we face, our trials and persecution have been
allowed by God to draw our attention to our failures and points of
negligence. Our challenges are meant to show us the obligations we
have ignored, the responsibilities we have shirked, the mercies we
failed to show, and the God-ordained duties we have abandoned. But
only the thoughtful individuals and those sensitive in the spirit are
able to see beyond the sufferings, injuries and injustices they are
passing through and learn the lessons.
Every trouble comes with a positive lesson, and there is no
persecution without education. God would not allow any pain to come
our way except it will offer us some gain. Even when God punishes, it
is often correctional because He loves us and not merely to make us
suffer for our wrongdoings. Afflictions, therefore, when carefully
handled could produce in us a more effective lifestyle, the blessings
of which will completely swallow the pains created by the affliction.
No wonder David said in Psalms 119:71, that "It is good for me that I
have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes". For him,
affliction became a school that drove him to the word of God, an
action he would not have taken if he had not been afflicted.
Praying that God should deliver us from the problems we are facing is
good and needful. But it might be more helpful to pray to the Lord to
show us what lessons to pick out of the unpalatable situations that He
allowed us to pass through. Joseph's brothers found themselves going
through trying times while attempting to buy grains in Egypt. Rather
than merely bemoaning their afflictions and calling on God to destroy
their enemies, they allowed themselves to be reminded of their failure
to show mercy to their brother several years back. Joseph as governor
of Egypt obviously noticed their remorse and acceptance of guilt and
felt that they should not be punished further, having learnt their
lessons. Many times, it is our inability to learn the necessary
lessons quickly enough that keeps us for long in the school of
affliction.
So, my beloved, may be you need to stop all the binding and losing,
fall-down-and-die prayers for the time being, and start asking God to
show you why things are the way they are with a view to learning
divine lessons. Answers to such inquiries may be more productive.
Rebecca once found herself in a very unpleasant situation when she was
pregnant. Rather than binding and calling down fire upon her enemies,
she went into prayers, inquiring from the Lord why things were the way
they were (see Genesis 25:22-23). She got an answer that gave her
peace for the present and direction for the future.
O that the Lord will make us wise!
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