Four times in two verses David cried out “How Long O LORD?” He had falsely believed that God had forgotten him and abandoned him- But not so! -{Read Psalm 13:1-2}. Hunted and hounded by a jealous hate-fueled Saul, whose goal was to kill him, David was on the run. He had been promised he would be king, but life looked anything like that promise from God would be full-filled. It looked bad, it was bad, “But God…” was in control. While on the run, David would learn about himself and… God, through these troubles. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, ending up in jail because he refused the advances of Potiphar’s wife, an innocent man suffering for doing a God-honoring thing…refusing to sin against God, cost him his freedom! On release, another prisoner had said he would remember Joseph and put in a good word for him, but forgot him…it looked bad because it was bad...

Because it looks bad and is bad does not mean it ends badly… when God is present, for He has a purpose in our suffering. He has a plan of preparation…!

When they took our LORD Jesus and tried Him, and crucified Him… it looked bad because it was bad...” But God,..” who was always in control of David’s life would raise him up eventually to be king…would free Joseph and elevate him to be the second most powerful man in the land and be used by Him to save not only his family but others in time of famine… and Jesus would be raised up from the dead… having satisfied the Law’s demands and the justice of God… that you and I be saved, rescued from the danger of sin, satans control and free from under the wrath of God and adopted into the family of God, fully forgiven by God, and to stand before Him  clothed as it were in the righteousness of Christ!

There are times in all of our lives, when night falls on the soul when the darkness of difficulties and sorrow seem to engulf the heart when we learn about ourselves and God… in a new way, a deepening way, in a more dependent way, when He comes and meets us like never before, just as David in Psalm 13:6 sings to the LORD because he is reminded of His goodness to him. God gives him a song amidst the sorrows... Joseph upon seeing his brothers again extends forgiveness and mercy and grace acknowledging what they meant for evil God was in the matter and He meant it for good… and the suffering Man of Sorrows who knew no sin, became sin for us that we might receive the righteousness of God, and not only be forgiven, pardoned of all treasons against God because of our sin but be clothed in His righteousness, adopted into the family of God and the full favor of God Himself upon our lives that we will never perish, never be abandoned or forsaken, for Jesus was abandoned by God once, that we would never be so.

Things may look bad now for you because they are… But He who was faithful to David… Joseph… the LORD Jesus… will be to you also, for this is not the end of your story, but a page, a chapter… He does give a song amidst the sorrows, I know this from my Bible and I know it personally, will once again in love fill your heart with a song perhaps amidst the tears, but a song of hope, praise, adoration to Him who loves you and will bring you through this…In the case of David, Joseph, and our LORD Jesus…others benefitted from their being in the furnace of affliction, that place of suffering where God in the case of David and Joseph was not only drawing them closer to Himself, teaching them of Himself but preparing them to be a blessing that others might partake in…

To be in the furnace of affliction is not easy, many and various sorrows are there… but so too is God, as He was with the three Hebrew youths in the furnace, as He was with David in the cave of despair, as He was with Joseph in the prison…so too He is with you! 

Today may be a sorrowful day, but joy comes in the morning. In other words, there is a future, a glorious future, the sorrows do not have the final say or are they the final chapter of your story, …God is!

 

Today you may feel abandoned but it is but a lie from the evil one tempting you to embrace it as he tempted Eve with the lie that God was not good… “But God…” who did not abandon David, though he falsely believed so, has not abandoned you, for you are His “Beloved”-{Read Rom 1:7} and He will meet you in the furnace of affliction and comfort you and then commission you “…who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”-{2 Cor 1:4}.

Paul was Crushed, Comforted by God, and Commissioned to comfort others. Out of his furnace of affliction, God was preparing him to be a comforter to the crushed, a blessing from his own bruising, not bitter but a blessing.

Perhaps today, some suffering soul in need of comfort does not realize that God has not forgotten them but is preparing them for a ministry of comfort to the crushed, and in the meantime has raised up someone who will come comfort them as Titus did for Paul.-{Read 2 Cor 7:6}… and that someone is YOU! He will use you to comfort that suffering soul. Your suffering is not in vain... God will use it to be a blessing to comfort others, even if just one will benefit and be blessed because you too have been in the flames of the furnace and He has met you there, prepared you there to be God’s comforter to the crushed!

Things may look bad because they are bad, “But God…” has not abandoned you, “But God….” has not forgotten you, “But God…” is working and preparing you to be a blessing to others, and though you may not have met that person yet, in His time He will circumstance that, and you will having stepped out of the flames of difficulties and the furnace of affliction come forth with all humility, compassion, and comfort and bless those whom He has sent to you…that they may experience His comfort through you!

Things may look bad, because they are bad, But remember David, Joseph, our LORD Jesus, and Paul, and know that “He who has begun good work IN YOU will complete it…”- {Phil 1:6}

Your story has a glorious hope-filled end for one day you will step out of this realm of sin, sorrow, and suffering and enter into His realm, to see Him and be with Him for eternity. In the mean times there may be times of sorrow, pain, and suffering, “But God..” walks with you through these turbulent, painful, stressful times as your Empathetic High Priest, who feels the very feelings you feel, we are told in Hebrews 4. He is a Faithful and powerful Friend, who knows all about the darkness and sorrows you are going through for He too has been there, and is here with you now and will not waste your sorrows as He prunes you to be more fruitful, more dependent upon Him, and makes you more Christ-like and prepares and is using you in the life of the afflicted. He gives a song amidst the sorrows.- {Read John 15:2,5,8; 2 Cor 1:9; Rom 8:29; Psalm 13:6},

You are Loved, neither forgotten or abandoned by God but held by Him in the flames of suffering and sorrow, comforted by Him being prepared to continually be more fruitful for Him, in being a comforter, help to others for His honor and their benefit. You have a glorious future to look forward to because you have a “BUT GOD…” in and over your life!

THINGS MAY LOOK BAD, BECAUSE THEY ARE BAD, BUT END THIS THOUGHT WITH THIS GLORIOUS LIBERATING TRUTH….”BUT GOD…” FOR HE IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOUR STORY! 

Perhaps you could take your Bible and go through the verses I have referenced SO THAT The Holy Spirit can minister to you and through you into the lives of others for His sake. Have a great day…

He loves you-{Rev 1:5}.

God bless,

Aidan.