Thought For Today: “Invest Your Afflictions”

Now here’s a concept we don’t hear every day. But afflictions are a part of life. King David knew this, but he also knew of God’s deliverance.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19)

Now while we love to hear the latter part of that verse, that the Lord delivers, do we rejoice over the fact that many are the afflictions?

The Apostle Paul knew affliction. He faced beatings, scourging, persecution, shipwrecks, imprisonments, mocking, hunger, thirst, and defamation to name a few. But what Paul also knew is that all these afflictions were an investment in the growth and establishment of the gospel and the church.

“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:12)

So, don’t look at afflictions so negatively; rather look at them as God’s way to grow our faith and to spread the gospel message of Jesus Christ.