To be afflicted

Posted : 19 Aug, 2014 06:03 AM

Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God... Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

� Deuteronomy 8:11-14



As they were (at long last) poised to enter the Promised Land, God warned the Israelites that the real danger to their lives had just begun.



Prior to this point, Israel had wandered in a desolate wilderness for forty years, completely dependent on God for everything. Every day they would step outside their little tents, and there would be manna waiting for them, just like the morning paper. God gave them fresh water to drink, a cloud to guide and shade them by day, and a pillar of fire to light their camp by night. Yes, wilderness living came with plenty of hardships. But those very difficulties compelled them to look to the Lord every day, depending on Him for everything.



But then He brought them to the brink of the Promised Land, and they could look across the Jordan and see lush green hills, rippling fields of wheat, flowing rivers, and trees loaded with fruit. They could hardly wait to get in! But God was saying, "Be careful! Watch out, or you'll get fat and sassy and forget all about Me. Then your troubles will really begin."



We've all experienced it: when our lives are hit with uncertainty, danger, or pain, we fall to our knees and cry out to God. God can use adversity to bring us closer to Him�which is actually where we will experience the greatest blessings of life.



The psalmist said, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your word. . . It was good for me to be afflicted :winksmile:so that I might learn your decrees:hearts::angel:" (Psalm 119:67,71).



Ecclesiastes 7:3, �Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.�



Psalm 34:17-20

When the righteous :angel:cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.



2 Corinthians 12:9

But he said to me, �My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness:winksmile:.� Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.



Romans 8:18

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.



2 Corinthians 4:16

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away:winksmile:, our inner self is being renewed :angel:day by day.



Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace :angel:with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations:winksmile::applause:, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God :hearts:has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Romans 5

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