Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

HEALTHY AFFLICTION After a trying illness, a dedicated believer testified that God had helped her during those days. In the deepest hours of her depression, she sought some sense to her problem and stumbled across this scripture: It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. Although her affliction was unpleasant, she said this was exactly what happened to her and she appreciated her experience. A homey philosopher says, "Often we are made to lie down, because sometimes it is only when we are lying down that we look up." David expresses the same thought in Psalm 23: He makes me to lie down. God often permits His children to be sidelined that they may depend more deeply on Him and appreciate His Word. There is a strange alchemy in human tears that washes away all our pretensions and helps us see eternal values. When we face affliction and sorrow, it is wise to keep this thought in mind. Rather than becoming bitter because of our battle, we can view it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and a deepening of our knowledge of God and His Word. During these times, we are drawn to the Word for sense and direction. Like the great apostle Paul, we can say: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).