3:273 – Patient in Affliction

#faithbites #faithjourney affliction

Setting

Here’s another in the series of “thanks to first-grade memory work, I have a new #faithbites idea”. One of my youngest’s memory verses for this week is Romans 12:12 – Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, and Faithful in Prayer.

She has been struggling with it as that’s hard for a six-year-old. Trying to explain what affliction means. When I said that it is when you are hurt or something goes bad, she got it. It’s easy to be joyful in hope, and many of us are faithful in prayer. The patient in affliction is hard.

Often we ask, why are we sick? What have we done to deserve this? Why am I broken? God, why are have you forsaken me? Heck, even Jesus had this feeling on the cross.

How do you react to affliction? What words do you say to God or about God when you are down and out?

Scripture

• Romans 12:12 – Be Joyful in Hope, Patient in Affliction, and Faithful in Prayer
• Matthew 27:46 – And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
• Deuteronomy 31:8 – It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Reflection

Knowing something in your heart and making your head make sense of it can be one of the hardest things to do. Someone once told me that the 18 inches between the heart and head are the furthest distance to cross.

Jesus cried out on the cross asking why his father had forsaken him? We call out on a daily basis, asking why me. Why is it like this? Why am I broken? Remember, that God will never leave us, never forsake us, and always loves us.

It the devil who causes us to believe that. From our sin, we are made to believe that we are less than worthy of God’s love. He is never going to stop loving us. We just need to get out of the way.

So yes, we have to be patient with affliction, no matter the type. If we are truly faithful in prayer and understand what Jesus has promised, it will be ok.

Now, if you ask my youngest she will say she is afflicted by these memory verses. My hope is, and she does when she gets it, is joyful in hope through Jesus.

Challenge

What affliction has got you down? Are you struggling? The challenge today is to be patient in it. Turn it over to God in prayer. Heck, send me a note and I will pray for you. Take a moment to know that God is Good and is always always with you.

Prayer

Father God, you are good all of the time. You tell us to be patient with affliction, but it is so hard. With physical, mental, spiritual, financial, and emotional pain, it can be draining and near impossible to live with. Please, Father, provide us a spirit of understanding and patience. Help us to be like Daniel in the Lion’s den, Jonah in the whale, Noah during the flood. There is a light coming and you will redeem us and rescue us from these afflictions. Help us find people who can help remind us of your promises while helping us through our struggles. In your name, Amen.