For Friends in Affliction

Afflicted: - grievously affected or troubled, mentally or physically;
                 - to cause pain or suffering 
                 - to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish

"It was good for me to be afflicted." (Psalm 119:71)

WHAT??

"He has led me and made me walk in darkness and not in light." (Lamentations 3:2)

WHAT??

Why would God allow such horrors and heartache to come into our life?
I asked this question many times after losing my son. I could not wrap my mind and heart around a good God allowing so much pain and anguish.

Although the Bible does not say who wrote Psalms 119, most Scholars agree it was David, who composed it throughout his life.
Lamentations was written by Jeremiah and is the book of mourning and grief over the conquest of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. If you read Lamentations in its entirety, it will cause your heart to hurt and bring you to tears over the horrific and tragic things that took place.  Things that I can't even imagine.

So back to the question of why (and it's okay to ask why), that God would actually lead us into a dark place? The answer comes in the second half of the verse from Psalm 119; "so that I might learn Your decrees."
So that I may cry out to Jesus for help.
So that I will pour out my heart for His strength and endurance
So that I may know my Creator

It's good to be in the dark if it's by the Lord's leading because it has purpose. It's at the bottom place, dark and desolate place, where we find the Rock to climb up to. Then we start making our way back up. This is the place where hope is rekindled.

Affliction is a teacher if we allow affliction to grow us and make us better. Sadly, many choose the path of anger, bitterness, depression, cynicism, etc and turn their backs on the only One who can truly help and identify with us. Yes, Identify. Jesus was a "man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering." He was afflicted for us. (Isaiah 53)

He knows pain, heartache, loss and anguish.

Sometimes all we can do is be still and wait. Be still and seek. Be still and know that He is God.
That's hard for us today in our fast pace society with so much to do. But God is worth the wait.
He is worth the time to seek. You will never regret this.

After Jeremiah grieves, mourns, cries out and asked God where He is and why He hasn't shown up, he makes this statement: "Yet".....I like this word. This word in itself is saying, "hold on! There's something more!" It means, Nevertheless; However. "Yet, this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Not consumed with affliction. Not destroyed. Not devoured. Not depleted.
Because there's something more! Hope in Jesus. He is faithful. Always. This is why we can't stay in the dark place. We must start making our way back up while clinging to the Rock.

Keep enduring. The word enduring means, abiding, continuing. The only way we can do this in a spiritually healthy way is to endure with Jesus. "Endurance inspired by hope." (1 Thess. 1:3)

Our afflictions won't last forever. In fact, they are nearly over. This life is the shortest part of eternity. We have so much to look forward to. 

Keep on keeping on my friend in affliction!