Verse 67 - “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”
Verse 71 - “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” According to The American Century Dictionary, “affliction” means to be “distressed mentally or physically.” The psalmist does not tell us what his affliction was, but he did tell us that being afflicted was good for him. It is my opinion (for what it’s worth) that it was a physical affliction. Whatever his affliction was, it made him a better person. How was affliction good for him? He learned the value of God’s discipline. Paul learned this lesson in 2 Corinthians 12 when he wrote about his “thorn in the flesh.” He prayed three times for it to be removed, whatever it was, but was told by Jesus that His grace was sufficient for him. The Bible also tells us that “Whom the Lord loves He chastens and scourges every son (or daughter) whom He receives. If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the Father chastens not?” (Hebrews 12 6-7) I don’t know why this is true, but it is. When we undergo affliction, we can react to it like the psalmist, or we can moan, groan and complain. Believe me, from my experience I know that it is easy to moan, groan, and complain, but if we do that we miss out on what God is trying to do in our lives. We have to understand that what God allows in our lives is ultimately for our benefit. Whatever you are going through right now, remember that you can complain or pray. The latter will make you a better person, as it did the psalmist. The psalmist’s affliction drove him back to God’s word. He wrote that “before I was afflicted I went astray.” This means that he had gotten away from God’s word and that his life was not as good or fulfilling. Maybe what you need today is to either return to God’s word, or go to it for the first time. But the psalmist not only read the Lord’s word, he studied it, for he “kept” what he read. He also wrote that his affliction had been good for him because he had learned from God’s statutes. It is just a fact that sometimes we will not “keep” the word or live our lives in obedience to it. I found in my affliction that the word of God spoke to me more plainly than it had spoken before. I want to encourage you to try the psalmists remedy. Also I want to encourage you who are not undergoing affliction that the word of God will make your life better too. What we learn from these two verses is that when we are going through afflictions, whatever their nature, God has not forgotten us; rather He is using them to make our lives better. When people give in to self-pity and complaining, they do not become better, but they become bitter. It would be good for you to bow your head this moment and pray, asking God to do a work in your life through your present distress, and turn to the Bible for it has the “words of life.” Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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