Afflictions of the Godly
While the wicked are kept in sugar -
the godly are often kept in brine.
God's people have no charter of exemption from trouble
in this life.
A sick bed often teaches more than a sermon.
What if we have more of the rough file--if we have less rust!
Afflictions carry away ... the dross of sin.
Afflictions quicken our pace in the way to Heaven.
Though the cross is heavy--we have but a little way to carry it.
"You, O God, have proved us;
You have tried us as silver is tried...
You laid affliction upon us" (Psalm 66:10, 11).
Hypocrites may embrace religion in prosperity-
but he is a true Christian
who will keep close to God in a time of suffering.
"All this is come upon us-
yet have we not forgotten You!"
~ Psalm 44:17
Afflictions on the godly make them better-
but afflictions on the wicked make them worse.
The godly pray more (Psalm 130:1).
The wicked blaspheme more,
"Men were scorched with great heat,
and blasphemed the Name of God"
~ Revelation 16:9
When affliction or death comes to a wicked man,
it takes away his soul.
When it comes to a godly man,
it only takes away his sin,
"We are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world".
~ 1 Corinthians 11:32
Affliction works out sin--and works in grace.
It is one heart-quieting consideration,
in all the afflictions that befall us,
that God has a special hand in them:
"The Almighty has afflicted me!"
~ Ruth 1:21
Instruments can no more stir until God gives them a commission-
than the axe can cut of itself without a hand.
Job eyed God in his affliction-he does not say,
"The Lord gave-and the devil took away;"
but "The Lord gave-and the Lord has taken away."
Whoever brings an affliction to us,
it is God who sends it.
Afflictions work for good.
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted".
~ Psalm 119:71
All excerpted from 'Afflictions of the Godly' by Thomas Watson
While the wicked are kept in sugar -
the godly are often kept in brine.
God's people have no charter of exemption from trouble
in this life.
A sick bed often teaches more than a sermon.
What if we have more of the rough file--if we have less rust!
Afflictions carry away ... the dross of sin.
Afflictions quicken our pace in the way to Heaven.
Though the cross is heavy--we have but a little way to carry it.
"You, O God, have proved us;
You have tried us as silver is tried...
You laid affliction upon us" (Psalm 66:10, 11).
Hypocrites may embrace religion in prosperity-
but he is a true Christian
who will keep close to God in a time of suffering.
"All this is come upon us-
yet have we not forgotten You!"
~ Psalm 44:17
Afflictions on the godly make them better-
but afflictions on the wicked make them worse.
The godly pray more (Psalm 130:1).
The wicked blaspheme more,
"Men were scorched with great heat,
and blasphemed the Name of God"
~ Revelation 16:9
When affliction or death comes to a wicked man,
it takes away his soul.
When it comes to a godly man,
it only takes away his sin,
"We are chastened of the Lord,
that we should not be condemned with the world".
~ 1 Corinthians 11:32
Affliction works out sin--and works in grace.
It is one heart-quieting consideration,
in all the afflictions that befall us,
that God has a special hand in them:
"The Almighty has afflicted me!"
~ Ruth 1:21
Instruments can no more stir until God gives them a commission-
than the axe can cut of itself without a hand.
Job eyed God in his affliction-he does not say,
"The Lord gave-and the devil took away;"
but "The Lord gave-and the Lord has taken away."
Whoever brings an affliction to us,
it is God who sends it.
Afflictions work for good.
"It is good for me that I have been afflicted".
~ Psalm 119:71
All excerpted from 'Afflictions of the Godly' by Thomas Watson
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