Trusting God Through Affliction

I was reading Psalm 119 recently, and these two verses jumped out at me:

“I know, O Lord, that Thy judgements are right, and that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray Thee, Thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Thy word unto Thy servant.” (v.75-76)

As the school year begins, one of the things I want for my students is the certainty that they can trust me, even when I ask them to do something difficult. Whether it’s something as important as following my instructions during an emergency, or simply trying to sound out a word they think they can’t read, I want their response to difficulties to be one of trusting reliance on the fact that their teacher loves them and knows what is best in that moment.

This is difficult for me, because I am not perfect, but I work to be as trustworthy and consistent as possible for my students, because I know that it is easier to have a trusting reliance on God when we have had that kind of relationship with an earthly authority.

And that is what stood out to me about these verses. Here the psalmist is crying out to God in the midst of affliction, but with an attitude of trusting reliance.

Over the years, I have clung to those words again and again: “Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” The truth of God’s faithful love sustains us as we choose to trust Him through whatever measure of affliction He allows. Whether the affliction be small or great, He always means it for good.

This trusting reliance is what keeps us close to God during difficult times. It is the faith of a small child looking trustingly into the eyes of a parent, secure in the assurance of that parent’s unshakable love and care.

“Like as a Father pitieth His children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.” Psalm 103:13