Strength through Affliction

January 11

Paul, in Romans12:12, gives us a little snippet of truth that is our foundation for building a life of patient anticipation. Here the apostle tells us to, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Joy. Hope. Patience. Faithfulness. Employ these with prayer through our afflictions and we shall be established as we await His answer.

Unfortunately, being established through affliction is not easy. We are inclined to flee trials, to endeavor to work our way, or fight our way, or pay our way, or pray our way out of them. But some of them will not capitulate to our most resolute efforts; they require us to endure them.

David, knew many challenges in his life, from slaying lions, to fighting a giant, to leading an army, to ruling a nation, to enduring the impact his own failures had upon his family. He was no stranger to conflict and upheaval. But through it all, he maintained an attitude of anticipation before the God. In Psalm 27:14 he said, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for Him.”

This posture is reflected in the book of another prophet in Micah 7:7 where it says, “As for me, I watch in hope for the Lord; I wait for God my Savior and He will hear me.” Like David, Micah and Paul, believers today must employ the strategies that work. They must be patient, hopeful, faithful; they must take heart in their afflictions. They must be confident that God is true; that His joy is their strength in affliction (Nehemiah 8:10).