Don't Waste Your Afflictions!

David WilkersonJan 16, 2007
"I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out [turned out] rather unto the furtherance of the gospel" (Philippians 1:12).

In this verse, Paul tells the Christians in Philippi not to worry about all the things they'd heard had befallen him. And those "things" included great afflictions and infirmities!

Paul wrote this epistle while bound in a Roman prison. At that point he was a seasoned warrior of the gospel, having endured every conceivable hardship and human affliction. If you've studied Paul's life, you know the kinds of things he'd faced: shipwrecks, beatings, buffetings, revilings, mockings, persecutions, hunger, thirst, nakedness, defamation of character.

Paul's worst afflictions came at the hands of those who called themselves born-again believers. Some of his opponents were envious church leaders who turned entire congregations against him. They ridiculed his lifestyle, mocked his preaching, misrepresented his message, questioned his authority. Everywhere Paul went, it seemed, he was met by affliction, trouble and sorrow.
Yet Paul said, "...none of these things move me..." (Acts 20:24). Furthermore, he added, "No man should be moved [troubled] by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto....we told you before that we would suffer tribulation..." (1 Thessalonians 3:3-4).

Paul was reassuring these believers, saying, "I've told you all along -- if you're going to walk with Jesus, you'll face afflictions. So, now that these afflictions have come upon me, why are you so surprised? This is our appointed lot in life."

Paul repeated this even more bluntly to the Philippians: "For unto you it is given [assigned] in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Philippians 1:29).
There is a certain theology in the American church today that says, "If you have your faith worked out correctly, you won't suffer. You'll be prosperous and won't have to worry about having troubles." No -- those words don't appear in the Bible! On the contrary, Paul says we have been assigned to suffer for the sake of Christ.

Moreover, Paul wrote that every day he woke up "...not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Spirit witnesseth [solemnly testifies to me] in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide [await] me" (Acts 20:22- 23).

Try to get this picture in your mind: Here was a holy man, called by God to take the gospel to the nations. And on every holy assignment, the Holy Spirit whispered to him, "Paul, the next stop isn't going to be easy. You're going to face opposition again. You'll find more afflictions, more testings."
I find this man's life absolutely amazing. Can you imagine it? Paul faced troubles and afflictions at every turn. The Holy Spirit told him to take a certain ship for a missions trip -- and the vessel ended up sinking; Paul had to swim for his life. The apostle then set out for his next appointment on foot -- and he was robbed along the way. Finally, Paul reached his next mission stop -- and instead of hearing his message, the people mocked him, beat him and cast him into prison.
God delivered Paul from that jail cell. And when he was released, he shook the dust from his feet and started out for his next assignment. That's when the Holy Spirit told him, "Get ready, Paul -- because you're going back to jail. And then you're going to be stoned. I know you've been through a lot, but there are more afflictions ahead. Rejoice, Paul -- for you have been counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ!"

Paul continued on to the next place -- and sure enough, he was stoned and left for dead. Yet God brought him back to life. Then, leaning on the handful of people who had accompanied him, he hobbled onward to his next appointment.

His next mission stop was a church he had raised up. Yet when he arrived, he found that Alexander the coppersmith was now their leader. Alexander told him, "You're no longer needed, Paul." This man had turned the whole church against Paul, their founder, a shepherd who had hobbled for miles just to see them.

So Paul went to his next assignment -- and again the Holy Ghost told him, "That's not all, Paul. There are more afflictions ahead."

At this point you may be saying, "Wait a minute -- you're talking about Paul's life, not mine. He was appointed by God to suffer afflictions. I haven't been called to such a life." Wrong! The Bible says: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19).

The phrase "many are the afflictions" applies not just to Paul, but to us as well. And I believe the more righteous we are, the more afflictions we will face. We love to hear the last part of that verse: "...the Lord delivereth him out of them all..." But do we rejoice in the first part as well? "Many are the afflictions of the righteous..."

I say with Paul: Why are we so surprised when we one affliction after another comes upon us? We have been told to expect them, even many of them. Yet often we cry out in the midst of them, "Oh, God -- I've had enough! I don't understand why I have to endure all these things. You know I love you, that I've been faithful to you. So why am I having to take this? You said you wouldn't give me more than I could bear, and I can't bear any more. Please, cut these troubles short!"

We want quick-and-easy deliverance. But our afflictions serve no purpose whatsoever if we do not understand why God permits them. The truth is that every affliction, trial, trouble, difficulty and disappointment in our life is allowed by the Lord. And he has a specific purpose behind all of them. Why? It is because he is taking us somewhere -- trying to accomplish something in us and through us!

We all know it would be just as easy for God to keep us out of all afflictions. Jesus implied this when he asked the Pharisees, "Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?" (Luke 5:23). He was saying, "I have the power to do both." So, wouldn't it be just as easy for him to shield us from afflictions as it would to let us go through them? He could deliver us with one spoken word! But he doesn't; instead, he allows us to go through our afflictions -- all for a divine purpose.

If the Lord did not permit troubles in our life, that would represent the worst form of rejection. It would mean God is saying, "I have no special work for this believer, no plans for his life being set apart as a testimony. Therefore, I don't need to produce anything in him. Let him remain untrained, untutored, a man with a child's mind. Let him not abound in grace. Let him not learn through affliction so that he might teach others. Let him just exist and die in his childishness."

I know Christians who refuse to learn from their afflictions. After a while, when God sees there is no purpose in allowing their troubles, he withdraws the afflictions. These Christians simply float through life, seeming not to have a problem in the world. But it is because they are not going anywhere! There is no future for them in God's plan. They are like the children of Israel, who floated through the wilderness for forty years. God tried the Israelites time after time -- but he finally gave up!