2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Philippians 2:4 KJV
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
Those who have dealt with affliction know that it has a way of attempting to isolate and alienate you mentally so that your thoughts are fixated on the problem at hand. This is perfect for the enemy because this allows him to work overtime on our minds to constantly rewind and rehearse the effects of the affliction. In this state, we become desensitized and incapable of seeing the needs of others.
Take the mother for example, when she is dealing with stress due to work-related issues, or her health, and bills, she doesn’t notice that her child is self-isolating because of the bullying that is taking place at school. Someone may also neglect to see that their elderly neighbor can barely make it to the mailbox without getting out of breath, or the little girl in their gym class who seems to have fresh bruises every Monday.
Have you ever wondered why no one comes to visit your elderly neighbor and why he seems to be getting weaker every time you see him? How about the young girl in your gym class? Has it ever piqued your curiosity why on Mondays her bruises are fresh, and on a different part of her body than the week before?
Of course, we may have subconsciously noticed what’s going on around us, but thought to ourselves “well I have my problems to worry about”. Or we may have thought “why or how can I help someone else when I can’t help myself”. That’s another trick of the enemy. Although you may have limitations on the help you can provide, there are ways in which you can assist.
My Aunt Bev is a perfect example. She has suffered decades with Lupus. Maybe she can’t carry groceries in for her neighbors, or provide childcare services for her younger great-grands, nieces, and nephews. But she has found other ways in which she can still be a blessing despite her affliction. Although there are days when her pain is so intense, that doesn’t stop her from picking up the phone and praying for others or filling out the birthday cards that she sends faithfully to family and friends. It makes me tear up just thinking about how she is still able to be a blessing despite her affliction.
In 1 King chapter 17, there is a story of a widow who was grieving and suffering from depression to the point she had made up in her mind that she and her son were going to have their last meal and die. But even amid the troubling situation, she was facing she was still able to muster up the energy to serve Elijah by sharing the little food she had and baking him a cake. The widow had no clue that her obedience would also lead to her blessing. The Bible said that after she did as Elijah asked both of their households ate for many days, (1 Kings 17:15).
If you were to reflect on some of the problems you’ve faced. I am sure you will notice that your constant worry didn’t minimize or make the problem disappear. You may have allowed the enemy to convince you that the problem was bigger than it really was.
Afflictions are apart of our journey in this life. They come in various forms and are inescapable. But consider the bit of joy an elderly neighbor would experience by you offering to pick up their mail or the girl in your gym class who smiles when she opens the note with the attached pack of extra gum, and it reads “you are EXTRA special”.
When you serve in your affliction and suffering that is obedience and you never know what blessings lie on the other side of obedience.
