Maintaining Joy and Patience in Affliction

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

A few years ago, I experienced a period of intense testing. You know the “never-ending” type that makes you feel like your mind, will, and emotions have been completely pureed in a blender.

 

(Yes, that type!)

 

I’ll like to tell you that I aced all the spiritual tests that came along but I cannot. However, one thing I learned is the importance of preparing for a test BEFORE the examination date. So, I decided to find out what God’s Word says about adversities, knowing that more tests await me in the future.

 

Therefore, this post is focused on what the Bible teaches about affliction and I hope you will be blessed by reading it.

 

The Who, What, and Why of Affliction

What is an affliction?

I once heard Beth Moore define affliction as “something that afflicts.” Although my daughters’ teachers will not accept this definition, it certainly resonates with me.

 

The Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible defines it as “anything causing pain or distress; suffering; calamity” while Dictionary.com defines it as “a state of pain, distress, or grief; misery.”

 

Some synonyms include adversity, suffering, torment, trial, misery, calamity, illness, and pain.

 

Therefore, afflictions are multifaceted and can come in various forms including persecution because of our faith (Mark 4:17), conflicts, sickness, physical pain, emotional distress, loss of a loved one, work-related stress, natural disasters, etc.

 

Who can get afflicted?

Anyone.

 

Jesus Christ Himself experienced great suffering that culminated in His crucifixion (1 Peter 3:18) and the early believers in the New Testament also faced tremendous persecution. Therefore, Christians are not immune to suffering or affliction.

 

Why do we get afflicted?

Affliction made its way into the world at the fall of man (Genesis 3:16-19). Since we all live in this fallen world we will all face periods of testing and suffering.

 

Sometimes, we suffer as a result of our sin (Psalm 119:67-75) or the sin of someone close to us and at other times, afflictions are sent our way by the devil who is the thief that steals, kills, and destroys (John 10:10). We may also suffer out of ignorance and lack of knowledge about the promises God has freely made available in His Word (Hosea 4:6).

 

In certain situations, God may use a trial as a tool to correct and discipline His children while molding their character to increasingly reflect the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. In the process, He breaks us, makes us more compassionate, molds us, and equips us for ministry by using us to “comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). Afflictions may also arise because our faith is being tested, purified, and strengthened (1 Peter 1:6-7).

 

Finally, as mentioned above, we may face persecution for the sake of the gospel (Luke 21:16-17).

 

Going Through Affliction

Now that we know that everyone will surely experience suffering, how should we respond in the midst of affliction?

 

Apostle Paul in Romans 12:12 instructs us to be:

1. Joyful in hope
2. Patient in affliction
3. Faithful in prayer

 

Is this really possible? How am I expected to have hope, maintain joy and patience and remain faithfully connected to God through prayer while my world is turning upside down?

As always, the answers are found in the Word so we will dig right in!

 

Joyful in Hope

Joy is much more than happiness. It is a supernatural state of gladness and elation, which comes from God and is independent of our earthly circumstances.

 

Hope as used in the New Testament primarily refers to our hope of salvation in Jesus Christ, which we receive when we get born again (1 Thessalonians 5:8). It is not wishful thinking but a strong and unshakable assurance based on the certainty of God’s promise that since we are born again, we have an imperishable inheritance in heaven (1 Peter 1:3-7). In addition, we eagerly await the appearance of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) knowing that “when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

 

Therefore, to be joyful in hope means to consciously remain connected to the Spirit of God; allowing His fruit of joy to stay bubbling in us based on who we are in Christ and the certainty of the promises God has made in His Word.

 

Since our hope is anchored in Christ and our joy pours out of His Spirit who lives permanently in us (1 Corinthians 3:16), we should:

 

1- Keep a heavenly focus….

with our eyes diverted from our circumstances but fixed on Jesus who is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, 1 Peter 1:13). It is only then that we can be like the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 and the early Christians in the New Testament who faced their trials head-on because they understood the hope of their salvation and saw themselves as pilgrims on this earth.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

 

2- Renew our minds….

and immerse ourselves in the Word focusing on God’s promises. Placing our faith and trust in His promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us but will console, comfort, help, strengthen, fight for, shield, and deliver us. In addition, He will hold us by our right hands and instruct us in the way we should go. (Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 94:19, Isaiah 49:13, Exodus 14:14, Psalm 73:23-26, Isaiah 41:13, Psalm 62:1-2, Isaiah 43:2, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 28:7, Isaiah 40:29, 2 Chronicles 20:15, Deuteronomy 1:30-31, Isaiah 49:16, Deuteronomy 31:8, Psalm 32:8.)

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20

 

3- Rejoice….

in the hope of our salvation and rest in the knowledge that through afflictions, we will grow and mature spiritually.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you GREATLY REJOICE, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:3-6

 

Patience in Affliction

If we stay yielded to God during times of intense trial, we will develop the character of perseverance, which is dependent on God and resilient to trials. Over time as our character develops, the weight of the struggle diminishes because we have learned to cast it on God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:1-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

 

Faithfulness in Prayer

To remain victorious during times of adversity, we must spend more time in God’s presence. Praying continually and in faith as we trust God to strengthen, lead and guide us. Our God who answers prayers will reveal Himself to us and direct our paths.

 Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. James 5:13 KJV

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Jeremiah 33:3

 

Conclusion

No matter what comes our way, we have victory in Christ. His power is available to us and His grace is ALWAYS sufficient. Trials will come but we should keep a heavenly focus, stand in faith and stay yielded to the Holy Spirit allowing Him to mold us into vessels fit for the Master’s use.

 

We have all read the end of the Book and we win. So shout Alleluia to the King of Glory!!

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

 

 

 

 

To ensure you don’t miss a post, SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can also connect with me on Facebook or Pinterest.

Except where indicated, Scriptures are taken from the NIV.

​

Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Affliction. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 34). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.