Affliction and Comfort

Serving Christ is not easy. It never has been. There are many afflictions along the path of serving Christ. Afflictions may come in the form of persecution, trouble, pressure, and distresses. The affliction Brenda and I have had to endure the most has been lack of finances and trusting God to meet our needs. He has done so wonderfully but we have felt the pressure and the distress.

Yet even in our poorest times God has comforted us. He has consoled us, encouraged us in His word and given a solace no person on earth could manufacture. Like I said in the beginning serving Christ is not easy. To truly submit your life to Him and follow wherever He leads takes courageous faith. Many shrink back at this point choosing a safe and secure life.

For every step of faith God leads His servants to take, and with every affliction taking those faith steps brings, God is there to comfort. When Moses felt the pressure of Pharaoh and Egypt pressing down on the nation of Israel at the Red Sea God comforted Moses with [Ex 14:14] "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." When Joshua was about to lead Israel across the Jordan River to possess the promise land God comforted with these words in [Joshua 3:5] "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." God told Gideon He would deliver the Midianites with only 300 men. God comforted Elijah in the middle of a drought even when the brook began to dry up. God comforted Elisha when Elijah was taken away. God comforted David while running for his life and we now have many of the Psalms to comfort us as well. God comforted the apostles though they faced persecution and some martyrdom in their service for Christ.

God also comforted Paul in his afflictions. That is why under the inspiration of God he could write the following. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." [II Cor 1:3-5]

You know what jumps out at me in these verses? The last verse, "FOR JUST AS THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST ARE OURS IN ABUNDANCE, SO ALSO OUR COMFORT IS ABUNDANT THROUGH CHRIST." Paul understood that following Christ meant embracing a life of many afflictions. Those to whom Paul wrote also understood this truth. They faced intense persecution. We feel insulated from this kind of life in the United States. We have equated God to a genie in a bottle to give us our wants and wishes. Afflictions seem foreign. So does following Christ with reckless abandon. The God preached in the American church does not call people to lives of risk, suffering, and affliction. This is not the God of the Bible.

Following Christ holding nothing back is both frightening and thrilling at the same time. Frightening because He leads His followers to do things that require complete trust in Him. Thrilling because this opens the door for people to experience His miraculous intervention and His comfort.

Don't hold back. Even though following Christ leads to some afflictions He will be there to comfort in the middle of it. One day you will be used to comfort others going through the same stuff you have seen God bring you through.

Recently at our church I was made known of a person who needed a car. As a church we asked God for it. Why would I confidently lead the church to ask God to meet that need? Three times in my life following God I have been in need of a vehicle. Once in college. God used a family to bless me with a car. It was not a "cool" car but it was God's provision. The second time I was driving a truck with 207,000 miles on it traveling as a full time evangelist. I was given a Jeep Grand Cherokee. The last time I was given money for the truck I am driving currently after giving a vehicle away in obedience to the Lord. I prayed and waited for seven months for the truck I drive now. In that time we were a one car family. God comforted and sustained us and gave me a huge blessing.

Following Christ is not easy but it is worth it not just because of vehicles. He is worth it. Just getting to spend time every day relating to Him is worth all the afflictions. Life over the past two years have brought many afflictions but also there have been many comforts. He is worth all of it.