Comfort in Affliction

2 Corinthians 4:17 - For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory

One of my least favorite Bible truths has to do with how God grows a man. From my reading it looks like everyone that was greatly used of God was greatly tried by God. He also seems to do it with His people as a whole. In the Old Testament it was the children of Israel, and in the New Testament we see the same scenario with the Church, God using trials, and afflictions to grow and mature His people, and bring them closer to Him. Here is a few of the descriptions I see of God growing and maturing His people:

Purifying – Like refining gold in a furnace of fire – Proverbs 17:3
Purging – The way you cut away at a tree to make it bear more fruit – John15:2
Polishing - To grind away at something to remove its roughness – Isaiah 49:2

God’s ways are not our ways, they are far beyond, and infinitely wise…That may not sound comfortable, and it’s not! But when it comes from the God if all comfort (2Cor. 1:3) we can take rest in Him. Some things stuck out to me in my reading of the first few chapters of Exodus this time that I want to share…or at least record, about comfort in affliction.

Exodus 1:12a - But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew

I’ve already established with the afore mentioned verses that there is a growing, and maturing that comes from affliction, just as there is a purifying that comes from a refiners fire, and we see that principle in Exodus 1:12 with the children of Israel. Their hard bondage, and their burdens were causing a growing, and it was this growing that was causing Egypt to tremble. There is a comfort in knowing that if we are enduring a trial, or bearing a burden, that there is a growing that is able to take place.

Exodus 3:7- And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

There is comfort in God’s awareness of our trials. He sees, He hears, He knows! God was never asleep on the throne, and during 400 years of affliction He was aware of every injustice. Every affliction was witnessed by the eyes of the Lord (Proverbs 15:3)…every misuse of their women, every abuse of their children, and every crack of the whip that striped the back of their men. There is comfort in knowing that our affliction is never beyond our gracious God’s sight… There is comfort in knowing that we are never so far that our cries are not heard by our loving Father… There is comfort in knowing that in a multitude of sorrows He knoweth our frame. (Psalm 103:14)

Exodus 3:17- And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

The comfort of redemption! Oh the great and wonderful promises of God, and His Word! He declares “I will bring you up out of the affliction!” There is an expected end to the trial. I love the analogies that we often hear concerning this topic. The refiner never holds the silver in the fire longer than it takes to burn away the dross. The husbandman never cuts away more branches than necessary. There is comfort in knowing that God is more compassionate than the refiner or the husbandman. He never would hold us in a trial longer than it takes to accomplish His will in us. He will never try us beyond our ability to endure either. (1Cor. 10:13)

Exodus 4:31- And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

The end result of the trial is to look back and see how God carried you through, so that you can respond as the children of Israel, and bow your head and worship God! John Piper appropriately points out that worship is the ultimate goal of the Church. John 4:23,24 expressly tells us that the Father is seeking worship, and that He is seeking a specific kind of worship. (in spirit and in truth) There is comfort in knowing that our trials and afflictions result in our highest purpose, and that is the worship of our great King.

One last note: The worship came when they looked back. I noticed this because I have often found that in the midst of my afflictions, try though I might…true worship is difficult. But oh the times after the trial when I looked back and saw only that one set of footprints, and I knew that God only had carried me through, I have been able to lift up my hands in praise, and bow my head in worship, and exalt the name of Jesus Christ singing Glory to His name!

Proverbs 30:5 - Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning

There is comfort in the trials, when the trials come from the Comforter.

2 Corinthians 1:3 - Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;