“It is good that I was afflicted that I may learn Your statutes.” -{Psalm 119:71}.
The Psalmist can look at the “afflictions” and instead of cursing God as Job’s wife had suggested to him that he do so and die,-{Job 2:9}. The Psalmist neither curses God nor is offended by God nor bitter towards Him because of his afflictions but says earlier “ You are Good and Do good…” -{Psalm 119:68}, and part of that “good?” “It is good that I was afflicted that I may learn Your statutes.” -{Psalm 119:71}. God used his afflictions, sufferings to draw him to pay attention to His Word. He saw that God used his afflictions to an end….To draw Him to His Word to learn His Word which reveals… HIM! And we see his spiritual development, and insight, by what he proclaims- God’s Goodness! But not as impersonal but personal- to him, “It is good that I was …” He saw that God in his afflictions, had an end, and with Joseph he could say “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to keep many people alive”-{Genesis 50:20}.
Note not only did God intervene for Joseph but also used Joseph to intervene for others. Consider this, God intervened for the Psalmist but also for future generations like you and me who can read this portion of Scripture and find comfort, and hope, and to know one “good” God will use from our afflictions is to draw us to His Word so that we may learn more deeply of the God whose Word it is and His ways, will, promises, warnings.
Afflictions are not easy, pain-free, or at times tear-free but can be used by God to help us develop a Godly perspective that He is good, does good, -{Psalm 119:68}. and causes all things to work together for good,-{Rom 8:28-29}, including our affliction in drawing us to His Word that we might know the God whose Word it is in a deeper, more dependant way.
“It is good that I was afflicted that I may learn Your statutes.” -{Psalm 119:71}.
God Bless,
Aidan,