The Good From Afflictions

The apostle Paul confidently and boldly said "all things work together for good to them who love God and are called according to his purpose." (Rom. 8: 28) That would include afflictions. The apostle affirms this plainly saying "That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." (I Thess. 3: 3) If we walk by sight, this will be hard to believe, for many times those in affliction cannot see how any good can come from it. But, if we walk by faith, trusting God and his word, then we believe good will come from it whether we can see the good or not. 

A song we used to sing when I was a Hardshell was the one given below. The lyrics are:

Afflictions, though they seem se­vere,
In mer­cy oft are sent;
They stopped the pro­di­gal’s ca­reer,
And forced him to re­pent.

Although he no re­lent­ings felt
Till he had spent his store;
His stub­born heart be­gan to melt
When fa­mine pinched him sore.

“What have I gained by sin, he said,
But hun­ger, shame, and fear;
My fa­ther’s house abounds with bread,
While I am starv­ing here.

I’ll go, and tell him all I’ve done,
And fall be­fore his face
Unworthy to be called his son,
I’ll seek a ser­vant’s place.

His fa­ther saw him com­ing back,
He saw, and ran, and smiled;
And threw his arms around the neck
Of his re­bel­lious child.

Fa­ther, I’ve sinned—but O for­give!
I’ve heard enough, he said,
“Rejoice my house, my son’s alive,
For whom I mourned as dead.

Now let the fat­ted calf be slain,
And spread the news around;
My son was dead, but lives again,
Was lost, but now is found.

’Tis thus the Lord His love re­veals,
To call poor sin­ners home;
More than a fa­ther’s love He feels,
And welc­omes all that come.

You can hear this song sung (here)

Another verse we must include on this point is this:

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen."

(II Cor. 4: 17-18 nkjv)

My Christian brothers and sisters, persevere through your afflictions, believing that your wise Father in heaven has it all in control and he has promised not to put on you more than you can handle. (See I Cor. 10: 13) See your afflictions and sufferings as part of your education, intended to make you wise and to purify you by removing all the dross in you. It is a means of your glorification too. For Christ, as well as for the elect, glory follows suffering. (See I Peter 1: 11) May we all become mature children of our Father and say with David, the man after God's own heart, "it is good for me that I have been afflicted."