Today’s Devotional: Sorrow as Part of God’s Plan
In Romans 8:28, Paul famously wrote that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” In a devotional at his website, Billy Graham reminds us that times of sorrow and affliction are included in “all things.” In fact, some of the greatest works of art have come from artists who have struggled with great affliction:
George Matheson would never have given the world his immortal song, “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go,” had it not been for his passing through the furnace of affliction. The “Hallelujah Chorus” was written by George Frederick Handel when he was poverty-stricken and suffering from a paralyzed right side and right arm. Affliction may be for our edification and Christian development.
Read the rest of the devotional at billygraham.org.
Has God put an affliction in your life? How can you use that affliction for God’s purpose?
In response to the question “Has God put an affliction in your life?”. I do not believe that it is God’s nature or desire to put affliction in our lives. We, in our sin nature, put affliction on ourselves. God can and will use that affliction to show and teach us that there are better ways to live and be. Thank you and God bless. Maureen
Yes, our sin nature brings affliction on ourselves. But what about the person who discovers he/she has cancer? Or the children in Haiti who are suffering from the earthquake? Or if we look at Job’s story, who was a righteous man, but suffered much. We can’t blame these people, assuming they put on their own affliction. We don’t know their hearts; only God can know. I do believe that there are instances where God does intentionally use suffering to do His will. It tests us, and pushes us to grow, knowing that we are fully relying on Him.
remember Job who said God gives and takes away blessed be the name of the Lord. i have come to learn that God does not give to take away, but when men allow the Devil takes away. john 10:10 states the 3 fold ministry of the devil.which is to kill, steal and destroy. when we christians sleep .i.e. when we become passive in our walk with the Lord the enemy sows tares. dearly beloved rise up to your responsibility, do not let the enemy steal whatever the Lord has given you. be it your joy, career, child, husband or health. there is hope for you in God today, do not give up, rise up from that deathbed and say the Lord is my helper and defender, i will not fear what man can do unto me. enjoy
i do belive that the lord put affliction in our lives but not to hurt us or turn us away from him but to test our will and faith. we all know the lord does not give more that we can handle ad what he does is always for a reason and his reason is not for us to question him about.god have set a path for everything and everyone and it’s up to us to stay on that path.
I continue to learn that sorrow is important to spiritual growth as it reminds me to keep dying to myself. We live in a fallen world, yet God is still in control. Thus we experience both joy and sorrow as a matter of the nature of things. But if we belong to Christ, our joy and sorrow belong to him also, making me closer to him. This is why I am greatful in ALL things.
I belive the lord do put affliction in our lives, but he does not put on us anymore than we can handle. Everything happens for a reason…why the good shall suffer and the bad not…why the young shall be taken and not the old, when we stand before him on judgement day it will all be explained to us then, keep your faith. Give everyday to the Lord and thank him for everything and everyone in you life.
God Is Good….All The Time….All The Time….God Is Good!
sometimes i wonder why affliction and sorrow happens? I cant say that im really sure if god does it to us or is it that we do it to our self. I know we have choices and sometimes those choices causes sorrow but what about the sorrow that comes through someone eals is it someting we did or what. I cant for the life of me understand this consept and how we endure so much. sometimes i beleive that its because we are in the light of our sin and others and thats why we are effected so much. well i do beleive someday we will know when we get to heaven.
well the bible does say that God will not put more on us than we could bare and i am a firm believer of that but sometimes when we do not listen and do what we surpose to we add to our burden. We often try to help God out by taking a shorter route or being impatient God does not need our help we just messes things up and the infliction sometimes we cause on our selves. he does everything for our good whether it pain, sorrow and even happiness. Jesus suffered and died and did no wrong who are we not to suffer just a little to learn a lesson.