I love words – learning what they mean, where they came from, how their definitions have changed over the years. I'm the type of person that if I come across a word in the Bible that stumps me... well, I go on my computer, pull up my Bible software, and click on the Hebrew or Greek dictionary. I used to have an old Strong's concordance – a big, huge heavy book. But it's amazing how quickly you can look up a word using Bible software.
The other day I was reading through Psalm 119 and I came across one of my favorite verses where it says, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, for it has caused me to learn of thy statutes, oh Lord." I kind of lingered on that word of "afflicted;" because I had been having some tough days in my wheelchair... so I decided to look it up with my Bible software. A couple of mouse clicks later, I learned that, in the Hebrew, "afflicted" means to be "browbeaten, troubled, abased, chastened, defiled, hurt, humbled, weakened, and depressed."
I selected those words, copied them, and pasted them into the verse in Psalm 119. And then I read it aloud: "It is good for me to have been browbeaten, troubled, abased, defiled, hurt, weakened and depressed. For all of this has caused me to learn more of your statutes, oh Lord."
I tell you, that put a new slant on the troubles I had been experiencing. Because though it is true God allows trials to come our way in order to test us, there is much more to the story. He has a higher goal in mind. His primary purpose in allowing those troubles in your life, friend, and mine is to teach us to walk rightly – that is, righteously – before him. The Bible makes a point of this else where when it says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Got that? It says many. And the point of all these trials piled one on top of another, is that God's ways get absolutely engraved into our hearts.
Now there was a time this really rubbed me the wrong way. I thought the righteous were supposed to be the recipients of blessings, not buffetings. Weren't big problems supposed to be reserved for the unrepentant? Well, it was around that time I stumbled across another Bible verse, "in the day of trouble I saw the Lord," and "before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy word."
I began to quickly learn that afflictions force us to bend our knees before God... and they show us the faithfulness of God in comforting and encouraging us. Life is supposed to be hard – and it’s so true; if you are in Christ, many will be your afflictions. But many will be the lessons God will engrave on your heart. And that's good. Good for me and good for you, friend.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
© Joni and Friends