Your Affliction Can Make You Bitter Or Better

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

  

  While recently visiting a friend who has been recovering from a serious affliction for many years it struck me how different he might have been. He was cheerful, optimistic, and mentioned how God and the Holy Spirit are helping him through his long recovery process. 

  It would be easy for my friend to be bitter, to blame God for his suffering, and to be filled with negativity. It seems natural to react to terrible circumstances with an equal measure of complaint and griping to match the situation one finds themselves in. 

  Yet my friend joked with his nurses and spoke positively about the future. One cannot help but wonder how we might react if in the same circumstances. 

  If someone is a few minutes late bringing our food we gripe. If we must wait in line an extra minute or two we complain. If we have something more serious like an ache or pain we bewail our sad lot in life. Our world can come unglued by the smallest of things. What would we do in the face of a serious problem or affliction? 
 

  To become bitter or better--that is the question before us. When serious illness or huge problems beset us we must decide whether to react with fear, lashing out in anger and frustration, or to react with faith, wisdom, grace, and hope. 

  No matter who you are life will throw problems in your path. Afflictions come to us all. The test of your life may be one very big hardship, or a series of small afflictions. How will you face your time of testing? Will you become bitter or better? 

  I am determined to become less agitated over the small difficulties in life. And I pray that I suffer through the large afflictions that come my way with grace and perseverance like my friend. I will certainly reconsider the tiny inconveniences and my reaction to them. I have spent enough of my precious life angry and upset at the specks of nonsense that seemed mountains of inconvenience at the time. With God’s goodness and grace before me I will do better. How about you? 

  Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive us our foolishness at striving over the worthless things of life. Strengthen us for the real tests that are coming our way. Give us grace and courage to finish our race well through whatever afflictions beset us. Amen. 

  
Karlton Douglas
Copyright 2017