faithfully afflicted

I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,

and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Psalm 119:75

This is an attention-grabbing statement of trust in God. The first part of it is pretty standard fare for the 119th psalm. God’s rules are revealed in His Word as righteous. Yes... I agree. No problem with that one. But that second observation is eye-opening to read first thing in the morning! I want it to read... “in faithfulness you have cared for me.” But that isn’t the point being made. The straight up truth is that God will bring affliction to His people. And since He is a God whose ways and words are right, this good God will bring difficulty and pain. And God is still good, still righteous, still loving, and still faithful when that affliction is brought to us by Him. Difficulty does not mean that God has abandoned us. Rather, it is quite the opposite. It is a chance for us to powerfully experience God’s faithfulness. 

As a pastor and as a counselor, I am always standing with Christians during difficulties. I know their losses. I know their pains. I’ve been at dying bedsides and have had to help people process the unexpected and the unthinkable. I’ve seen the painful problems that living in a broken world will bring. I’ve seen shattered relationships and pain-filled moments that people know with loved ones. And I have seen God faithfully pour His grace powerfully into the pains of people who will humbly open their arms wide to the faithful love of Jesus! Life has hard parts. But God is faithful Who provides a way so that we “may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Faithful God,

You know the afflictions I face with Your flock. And You faithfully bring personal difficulties into my life so that I will humbly seek Your righteous ways. This I will do. I don’t have it together. I will not pretend to be affliction free. I will accept my hardships and pains as part of Your faithful work in me. Thanks for Your faithful, steadfast, powerful love in all the afflictions Your people will face. You are good! In faithfulness you have afflicted me!

Amen