Affliction, Pain, and Favour

The rapid advances in medical treatment and effective medications have changed the world in more ways than we might realise.  We have easy access to tablets of many kinds to relieve inflammation and discomfort, elevate iron levels, and balance hormones.  The accurate diagnosis and treatment of all manner of diseases and illness has prolonged the life of countless children and adults alike.  Physical damage to joints and bones once considered permanent can be restored through surgery.  Because of the access and availability to pain-numbing drugs, pain is often seen as a terrible inconvenience - even a great evil - that we should no longer need to endure.  When the pain hits our thoughts are typically something like, "How can I make this pain stop?"

During my reading of Psalm 25, I was struck with David's quite different approach to affliction and pain.  Our tendency is to try to avoid trouble or misery at any reasonable cost.  Many are so desperate to end their awful pain, taking their own lives seems a reasonable trade for that prospect.  David wrote in Psalm 25:18:  "Look on my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins."  I must say, I was a bit shocked as I carefully considered what David said.  He did not ask God to change his troubled circumstances or to eliminate the pain he experienced.  He simply asked God to look upon his affliction and pain.  Like a person who goes to a doctor for a thorough physical examination, David did not demand God take a certain course of action.  It is common for us to use the internet to diagnose and treat our symptoms.  Because of our abundance of knowledge, doctors have lost some of the authority they used to have.  We think we know our bodies and symptoms better than anyone, and our doctor has become a means to accomplish our desired end.  We just want them to write a script for tablets so we can start feeling better.  How presumptuous we can be!

David didn't approach God in that manner.  He humbled himself before God, exposing what hurt him before the Great Physician and Saviour of our souls.  In this case, David did not ask God to relieve his pain.  In fact, a study of David and others in scripture reveal affliction and pain for God's people is a sure sign of future divine favour.  Let this fact sink into your hearts!  Remember when pregnant Hagar ran away from her heavy-handed mistress?  The angel of the LORD met her in the desert and told her to go back to that difficult situation with this promise in Genesis 16:11:  "And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. you shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction."  How about the sad state concerning Leah, forced to marry a man who didn't want her?  Genesis 29:31 reads, "And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren."  She recognised the blessing of a son was a direct result of God seeing her affliction.  The next verse reads (Gen. 29:32), "So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, "The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me." A similar story is found in 1 Samuel 1, where Hannah was provoked severely by a rival wife for her barrenness.  She cried out to God in her affliction, God heard her, and she ended up giving birth to the prophet Samuel and five other children besides.  What about when David fled from Jerusalem and Shemei cursed and accused him, throwing rocks and kicking up dust?  Abishai begged David to allow him to go over and cut of Shimei's head!  David refused.  He did not pray God would make his great affliction or pain stop because he recognised God was in complete control.  2 Samuel 16:11-12 says, "And David said to Abishai and all his servants, "See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. ¹² It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."  When God looks upon the affliction and pain of His beloved children, He knows what to do in every case.  We might want our circumstances to change or the pain to end, but God knows better still.

The thing David requested of the LORD in Psalm 25:18 was to look upon his affliction and pain, and forgive him of all his sins.  God will be faithful to do this to all who ask Him.  1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  God allowed His own Son Jesus to face the agony and pain of the cross, and has exalted Him above all others.  Jesus was bruised and afflicted, but He opened not His mouth.  He asked on the cross for God to forgive those who were responsible for His crucifixion and those who scoffed and mocked as He died:  "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Though Jesus was made a sacrifice for all sin, He remained the Lamb of God without blemish or spot.  The Messianic Psalm 22:23-24 says, "You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! ²⁴ For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; nor has He hidden His face from Him; but when He cried to Him, He heard."  The atonement for our sins has come through faith in Christ, and we know God will look upon our affliction.  Our afflictions and pains are not worthy to be compared with the glory God will reveal in us.  Our Father will certainly hear our cries and answer!