As the Rapture of the Church draws closer, we find many of our beloved brethren enduring some pretty harsh trials and afflictions. However, God shows us in so many scriptures that He knows our sorrows, our fears, our illnesses, loneliness, loss, and betrayals. He hears our prayers, catches our tears, and although they are not always answered as we think they should be, we must always pray for His will to be done in each situation.
Psalm 119:71 “For it is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” When these seemingly endless trials occur, it is to draw us closer to the Father, and it humbles us in many ways.
Physical affliction such as pain, illness, disability all can make us weak and feel that God is not hearing our prayers. Yet, He tells us in Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.”
When the trial is so great and you feel you cannot go on, God knows. He has a purpose for these trials. When we draw closer to Him during these times we find out more about what He expects from us, teaching many lessons. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 “Therefore, do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison.”
Psalm 22:24 “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 for help, He heard.” God has shown this to me personally so many times as I’ve cried myself to sleep because of unrelenting pain. He is faithful and true.
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.”
May we all who are in Christ Jesus be continually reminded of Paul’s admonition in Romans 12:12.
Author – Kathleen Anderson
Editor – Joanie Schumacher
Thank you, beloved sister. You’ve helped to see and know that truly our Lord is not indifferent to our sufferings, be they physical, emotional, and sometimes our very real battle, spiritually.
May you, and all of us who have been ministered to by your written reflections through his Holy Spirit find our comfort knowing that we are all just pilgrims here on earth. There is a day sure to come that we will no longer be constrained to the sufferings of this life, but we’ll be renewed and forever (olam) be in front of our Deliverer, our Lord and our God.
Sweetness and love to you dear friend, you know how I love you muchly!
Myry