Psalm 119:71

In our last meditation we considered the proud, whose hearts are so gorged with the pleasures and possessions of this world that they are “as fat as grease.”  In contrast to the proud, today’s verse from Psalm 119 finds the psalmist in affliction.  But even though he is in affliction, he is better off than the proud.

Psalms 119:71  It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.

As a rule, we need affliction to learn how to live the right way, which is to live according to God’s statutes.  Pastor Larry Lilly wrote the following recently.  This lines up perfectly with the thought expressed in today’s verse.

“C.S. Lewis likened God’s use of adversity to walking a dog.  If the dog gets its leash wrapped around a pole and tries to continue forward, he will only tighten the leash more.   Both the dog and the owner are after the same end, forward motion, but the owner must resist the dog by pulling him opposite the direction he wants to go.  The master, sharing the same intention but understanding better than the dog where he really wants to go, takes an action precisely opposite to that of the dog’s will.  It is in this way that God uses adversity.”

There are some statutes of God that we can learn no other way than by suffering affliction.  For example, God’s word teaches us to have patience. 

Hebrews 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us….

But look at the definition of patience.

Patience - The suffering or enduring (of pain, trouble, or evil) with calmness and composure; the quality or capacity of so suffering or enduring.

If we never suffered affliction, how would we ever know we had patience since patience by definition involves the suffering of affliction?  Paul teaches that it is tribulation that “worketh patience” (ROM 5:3).  Therefore, it is only as we are afflicted that we can learn God’s statute of patience.

Or, we are commanded to be forbearing and forgiving toward our brethren.

Colossians 3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

But how would we ever really learn this statute if our brethren never annoyed us or sinned against us?  To be sure, the annoyances and offences of our brethren can be a great source of affliction.  But it is through that affliction that we can learn the statute of Colossians 3:13. 

In a previous verse of Psalm 119 we noted that in the absence of affliction we tend to go astray.

Psalms 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

Our loving heavenly Father does us good when He does not leave us to our waywardness, but rather chastens us with affliction, when we go astray.  God teaches us His statutes in the school of chastening and we are blessed if we are enrolled in this school. 

Psalms 94:12  Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;

If would be a fearful thing if God did not teach us through chastening.

Hebrews 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

When we learn God’s statutes, we are learning the greatest lessons that can be learned in life.  But those lessons are learned in affliction.  I can personally attest that some of the best lessons I have learned have been in the school of affliction.  Indeed, it is good for me that I have been afflicted.  When you know the good that can come out of affliction, instead of complaining about it, you can rather find joy in it.

James 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

I close with the insightful words of Charles Spurgeon as he commented on today’s verse: 

“It was not good to the proud to be prosperous, for their hearts grew sensual and insensible; but affliction was good for the Psalmist.  Our worst is better for us than the sinner’s best.”

To which I can but add a hearty “Amen.”