Trials Or Afflictions

Posted by Christina Scovone on Tuesday, April 19, 2011

King James Bible Study: Trials Or Afflictions
For: Tuesday April 19, 2011
Chapters: II Samuel 21-22
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-april-19

Details of Today's Reading: Three years of famine, Saul’s sons slain, war with the Philistines, and David’s song of deliverance.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word trial is defined as the state of being tried, any effort of strength for the purpose of obtaining its effect. In other words, when God places trials before us He is doing it to try us, to strengthen our relationship with Him and get us to depend on Him alone. Trials come and go, of course, when we are going through them we do not always understand why we are in them nor do we want to be in them, but just like everything else, we go through them for a reason and they too will come to pass. “And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.” - Hebrews 6:15.

Sometimes it's not trials we face, but affliction, affliction is defined as continued pain of the body or mind, such as sickness, losses, calamity, adversity, persecution. Every bit of the affliction we go through arises from sin, but here is the strange thing, it's not always sin that we have caused by our own actions. While we are all accountable for our own sins we still have to face some affliction caused by others. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” - I Peter 4:16,17.
David's one sin with Bathsheba not only afflicted him, but his family, and everyone else around him. Innocent people were suffering over one man's sin. However, once David repented, got right with God, and suffered for a bit all came to pass and there was peace once again in Israel. However, no sooner than things get back to normal, more affliction comes.

“Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites...Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?..Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.” - II Samuel 21:1,3,6,7.

David knew well by experience that the afflictions of he and his people were facing were the cause of someone's sin. David made things right with the Gibeonites, then God began blessing them once again. When we are under God’s judgments, we need to keep asking God what's going on, and when the cause is revealed, we should go to all lengths to make right the wrongs of the past so that God’s full blessing may be renewed upon us once again. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:1,2.

Although David's life was filled with many disappointments, sufferings, and sorrows, he readily acknowledged that it was the Lord who gave Him every deliverance from his trials and afflictions. David teaches us to give praise to God in the midst of trials and affliction, regardless of our circumstances. David wrote a song of praise to God. All of chapter 22 is called David's song, which is almost identical to Psalm 18 and in it there is not one complaint, only praise to God through all of the circumstances he faced.

“And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies...For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them. I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.” - II Samuel 22:1-4,23-25.

The key to facing trials or afflictions is waiting on God, when we wait patiently on the Lord through our faith in Him they will come to pass a lot quicker. Fight or ignore Him and they will hang around a lot longer. Those who really have no faith in God are not fruitful and will not overcome their trials or afflictions until they learn what God is trying to tell them. “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts...Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:2,3,10.

Are you currently facing a trial or affliction? It is time to take a serious look at what God is trying to tell you. It's time to ask God to search your heart or reveal to you anything that is hindering you from overcoming your circumstances. Are you, like David, singing praises to God as you patiently await His answers? Are you looking for solutions to handle any problems caused by others? Are you asking amiss? Is there some secret sin that you think you are hiding? Is it a person you hang our with? Is it a job? Is it a relationship? Or is it that you have lost your faith in God? Whatever it is, now is the time to get with God until He shows you what is hindering you from going forward. “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” - Matthew 21:22.

God wants to bless us, but we must be willing to let go of the things in our lives that are causing the trial or affliction. Whether it is something we have to personally let go of, or repent for, or something someone else has done and we are afflicted by it, we need to get with God about it and ask Him how to fix the problem. Once we learn what is hindering us we will see the blessings unfold as well as see a new outlook on life.

“And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. ” - Psalm 40:2-5. Praise God!

Jesus Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through the One we call upon for salvation (22:4). “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:10.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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