Daily Devotion: Redemption from Affliction

Scripture:
Lamentations 3: 21-36

Main Verse:
Lamentations 3: 32-33
Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies.
For He does not afflict willingly,
Nor grieve the children of men.

Observation:
If God is a loving and compassionate God, then why does He allow people to suffer? Why is there grief and affliction in this world? The author of Lamentations pointed out that God causes grief and lets his children experience it. Jesus also gave us a straightforward message in John 16: 33, "In this world you will have trouble." It is inevitable. Pain and suffering and trials and temptations and all sorts of evilness will happen to all of us. The only difference is that when you trust in God as your personal Lord and Savior, you can hold on to His promises. He allows all things to happen, so that in our weakness, we may witness God's power (2 Corinthians 12:9), compassion, and deliverance (Psalm 34:17-20).

In Lamentations 3: 33, the author stated that the Lord does not afflict men "willingly," meaning He does not find any joy when He sees his beloved creations suffer. Sometimes, sufferings happen to us because we have been disobedient. As children, it pains our parents when they try to discipline us because of the wrong that we have done. In the same manner, our Father also allows us to suffer so we can turn back to Him, bow down to our knees, and cry out to the Lord, "Father, please forgive me for all the wrong that I've done!

Application:
Our Father is Sovereign God. We need to understand that the Lord did not create evil in this world, BUT recognize God's power and dominion over all men, all earth, and even in the spiritual realms of this world. Yes, He allows pain and suffering but we need to remember that it is God's way of showing his love and discipline for us (Psalms 119:71) and that suffering brings about a change in our character (Romans 5:3-4). Our hope as believers is that our God is a compassionate God. Didn't He bring his only Son Jesus Christ on earth to redeem us from our sins? He wants to put an end to our suffering. He wants to reestablish the broken relationship with Him. He can do all of that IF we make a commitment to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for your comforting words. There is joy in the knowledge that I can hold on to your promises when suffering befall on me. I can claim victory because I have your Son Jesus beside me to help me with any pain and affliction. Indeed, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to your purpose. AMEN.