It Is Good for Me.....

That's what the psalmist said......."It is good for me that I was afflicted....." (Psalm 119:71).  So, that's what we're going to think about today......affliction.  You're probably thinking, "I'd rather not think about that.....especially on a Monday!"  But the psalmist mentions this topic three times in these two stanzas (teth and yodh), so it must be important.  Look at what he has to say....."Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word," (v. 67); "It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes," (v.71); "in faithfulness You have afflicted me," (v. 75).  Thinking on those statements, what do you learn about the psalmist's view of affliction.  How does your own view line up with his?

The Hebrew word which is translated "afflicted" is the word anah, which means "to be afflicted, to be oppressed, to be humbled."  We don't know exactly what the psalmist's afflictions were, although there are some hints in the text (verse 69, for example).  Think about that word in the context of life in the 21st century, of the circumstances of your life, or of events you are aware of in your community or in the world.  How would you define affliction?

Consider the following New Testament references which relate to this topic.

• James 1:2-5
• Hebrews 12:1-17 (especially verses 10-11)
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

How do the teachings of these passages impact your view of affliction?  Is it easier to have the viewpoint of the psalmist ("it is good that I was afflicted") when we consider that whatever the circumstances (affliction) of our life may be, there is a purpose?  I'm hesitant to list specific "afflictions" because what is an affliction to one person may not be to another, or because I might leave out your particular issue.  But I think affliction may take many forms......from being persecuted for your faith, as many are around the world, to losing your job because you refused to lie or cheat or because you were living and working in integrity according to your faith (this one hits very close to home in our household), to being shunned by family or friends because you took a particular stand regarding a specific issue, to.........  You can fill in the blank based on circumstances of your life or that of someone you know.

The bottom line here has to do with attitude.  Do we sit in the corner and have a pity party?  Do we give up on life?  How do we handle it?  Do we view it as good (as the psalmist did)?  Do we view it as part of the "all things" that are working together for my good?  (See Romans 8:28-29)

Whatever the circumstances of our life may be, perhaps the key is to view it all with eternity in view.  Focus on the ETERNAL, not on the EXTERNAL.  There's the challenge for us today!!

"Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."  (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)