Psalm 119:67 71 75,
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word.”
“It was good for me to be afflicted, so that I might learn Your decrees.”
“I know, O LORD, that Your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness You have afflicted me.”
Trials, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, are a great help to overcome our corruptions. The sharper the trial, the sweeter the result–when it is sanctified by the Spirit.
When trials come, they whip us home to our heavenly Father! Sheep do not stray very far when the big black dog is after them–his barkings make them run to their shepherd. In the same way, affliction is the Good Shepherd’s black dog which He sends to fetch us back to Him; otherwise we would wander to our ruin. When trouble comes, it should drive us to God, just as the shipwrecked sailor is driven to the shore. If the gold knew why it was cast into the fire–it would thank the Refiner for putting it there.
Our heavenly Father loves us too much to exempt us from trials. Let us believe that His choicest love-letters are sent to us in black-edged envelopes. We are frightened at the envelope. But inside, if we know how to break the seal, we shall find riches for our souls. We draw nearest to God, in our brokenness.
There is no school like the school of trial, and the rod of affliction is the best instructor. By affliction, the Lord separates the sin which He hates, from the soul which He loves.
It is a blessed thing when the mind is brought to humbly submit to the chastisements of God, and to acquiesce in all of His providential trials. Knowing as we do, that God causes all things to work together for our good, and that we never endure a single trial more than our heavenly Father knows to be needful for us–we are bound to cheerfully submit to all that He appoints for us.
We are certain that His all-wise will, far surpasses our deficient and short-sighted desires. We realize that if we could see the end from the beginning, we would find that everything that God has chosen for us, is exactly what we would choose–if we were as wise and good as our heavenly Father is.
When we can’t understand our Father’s providential hand in afflicting us, we can trust His wise and loving heart in doing what is best for us. Let us always remember: “Father knows best!”
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