Thanking God in Affliction

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a word to those in pain.

And the word is, don’t give up; don’t cave-in; don’t throw in the towel, and whatever you do, don’t doubt the goodness of God. I’ll be the first to admit that pain, whether from a botched surgery, a rear-end collision, or a chronic illness, pain has a way of screaming for your undivided attention. It wants you to think about nothing else. I always talk about my pain as though it were a Tyrannosaurus Rex sinking its teeth into my hip. Oh, I know it’s a terrible picture, but it conveys exactly what it feels like. So, if you feel as though your pain is elbowing its way to the front and center of your thoughts, do not let it crowd out or color your thoughts about God. You can glorify the Lord right now in the midst of your pain by thanking God in your affliction. It’s what I have to do all the time. It doesn’t necessarily make my pain better, but it does strengthen my faith because when I do it, I know I’m glorifying God. And that makes my faith better, more ironclad, more resolute, in short, it makes my faith stronger. If you’re going to battle pain, believe me, your faith needs to be strong. So this is how you can thank God in your affliction today.

First, you can thank the Lord because God is sovereign and He’s in complete control of the intensity and the duration of your affliction. God says in Isaiah chapter 46, “I am the Lord, and I will accomplish my purpose.” So, thank God for that, and thank Him that your faith will increase. Next, you can thank God that His love and mercies never cease. We are reminded of that in Lamentations chapter 3. God will give you grace—it may not come early to meet your need, but grace will never come too late. Third, you can thank God in your affliction that Jesus will never leave you; He’s never going to forsake you. That’s a guarantee from Hebrews chapter 13. Jesus is not going to leave you hanging out there on a limb all alone, by yourself, which brings me to the next point.

You can thank God for your affliction because God is with you in it. Isaiah chapter 43 says that when you pass through the waters, you won’t be overwhelmed. Flames won’t consume you. Like the burning bush that Moses saw, you will not be burned up because He’s with you in it. Are you on the floor, down for the count? Well, Jesus is on the floor with you. He goes where no medication can go, where no doctor can go. He goes where no surgery can go, where no counselor can go. He is in your pain with you, and He offers you an invitation from His bloodstained hand, beckoning you to draw nearer and go deeper into the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. It’s a place where you will get to know Him in a way you never could experience were there no affliction.

Finally, you can thank God in your suffering because He hears your every prayer. He’s making you more like Christ, and this momentary affliction is achieving for you an eternal glory that far outweighs the pain and inconvenience of it all. Friend, I could say more on this, but I’ve put more down in a pamphlet I’ve written called “Pain and Providence,” and I would love to send you one for free. Consider it a gift from me, one who understands suffering. Go to joniandfriends.org/radio and ask for the booklet, “Pain and Providence”. Finally, please know that you’re not alone; you’re not forsaken. God is with you. We’ll be looking for you today at joniandfriends.org/radio.

© Joni and Friends