Dealing with Affliction?

Good morning. Turn with me in your bibles to Psalm chapter 31. Today I want to draw your attention to the question, how are we to deal with affliction? What are we to do when affliction comes our way? What is affliction? This may be defined as a condition of pain, suffering, a trial, or distress. You may be facing a person who comes against you because you stand for the truth of God’s Word. You may be facing a difficult health issue. You may be facing the affliction of a tough decision or conversation. You may be facing the affliction of being lonely and in despair. Parents and grandparents you may be dealing with a wayward child. Afflictions come in all sizes and shapes.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “It is the most bitter of all afflictions to be led to fear that there is no help for us in God.”

When you are facing affliction we must know and trust as believers that God is here to help us. How do we know that? Look at 2 Corinthians chapter 1 with me.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Throughout Scripture we are reminded of the many people who faced affliction. Job himself dealt with a painful season of affliction. Then there was Joseph, Daniel, Queen Esther, and the many Prophets. We live in a time where many people and even many believers face affliction. In 2023 it was reported that 360 million Christians lived in countries where persecution was “significant.” Roughly 5,600 Christians were murdered, more than 6,000 were detained or imprisoned, and another 4,000-plus were kidnapped. In addition, more than 5,000 churches and other religious facilities were destroyed.

Matthew Henry tells us in his commentary on Psalm 31, “As afflictions in Christ abound and are even prolonged, be reminded that perseverance is given by Jesus as long as Christians go to Him as our teacher. For He invites us to be His students.”

As we come to Psalm 31 we learn that this is a Psalm of David and a lament. Nearly one-third of the psalms are laments. Why? Not everything in this life is always happy or joyful. Life is hard and difficult at times. There can be many seasons of grief, mourning, sorrow, and despair. David finds himself in the most difficult and dire affliction of his life and he runs to God for help with confidence that God will be there to deliver him. This Psalm shows us how our afflictions can seem to be overwhelming like David’s were, but what we see here is that David is given an assurance from his God. The truth is that in David’s affliction he discovered that God was mighty, powerful, and sufficient, and this is good news today for us.There are some scholars who think that David was dealing with the treacherous men of Keilah or even his own son Absolom who tried to take the kingdom away from his father, however we don’t know for sure. Irregardless, we know David is facing great affliction like some of you are today. Through these difficult valleys David deals with mourning and yet rises to be confident in his God. King David pleads for help and God shows him mercy. David pleads for deliverance and God comes to his rescue and delivers him from the affliction. What are we to do when affliction comes our way? Not to jump ahead here but let me remind you of the last verse of chapter 31.

Psalm 31:24 ESV

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!

Wait on the Lord as David did and be strong and take courage through those difficult times because we can be reminded how God will be there for us.

1. Take Refuge in God and be assured of His Sufficiency.

Psalm 31:1–5 ESV

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me! 2 Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

As we look at the first several verses here they really help set up David’s prayer for help with his affliction. Notice here that David is crying out to God, for God to be his refuge, to rescue him, to be a solid rock and foundation for strength, safety, and stability. Down in verse 7 David actually acknowledges his own affliction and the distress of his soul, and in verse 9 David even tells us in detail about the effects of his affliction. David was dealing with so much pain that it caused every area of his life to be affected.

The point that we must see today is that David did have a refuge to run too and trust in and his refuge is the only refuge that is true. I want you to see this church because this shows us the sufficiency of God. There are so many people today who don’t realize or have perhaps forgotten that God and His word are sufficient for everything that we will deal with in this life. As David is facing this storm in his life his true anchor is God. There are many other things here on earth that are not true anchors that many people run too, but David relies upon God. David has come to realize that the only way to get through these afflictions is to call out to God and dwell on the comfort of God’s faithfulness. David realizes that God has delivered him before and even now he asks God to deliver him again.

In verse 2 David is asking God to listen to him. Hear my pleas O God. Come to rescue me quickly. There are many times where we too can relate to David here. The affliction is real and overwhelming and we can wonder if our God is there and will help us through. It is good to remember that we are not to place time limits on God while we may still ask for him to rescue us quickly from affliction. These verses should draw us to see the importance of not only private and individual prayer but also corporate prayer. We should pray personally, but also ask others to pray for us.

In verses 2 and 3 we begin to see David’s confidence in God. This picture of a rock and a fortress remind us of a solid and firm foundation like and old castle or fort that was protected well so that the enemy could not invade. When we pray to God we don’t go to God in vain, why because He is our rock, refuge and a strong fortress. David asks God to be his rock because he was his rock. So, our faith in God is the foundation of prayer. This is why David could say for your name sake you lead me and guide me. Church, we should desire for our Lord to lead us and guide us. So often we look too so many other things in our world to guide us, when we know that we should set our hearts and minds on God. So put your trust in God and be reminded of His sufficiency while you face afflictions.

The affliction that David faced here seemed to be coming from his enemies. These enemies were very cunning and very powerful. If they were not able to defeat David or get him down by their power they were going to be very crafty. I want you to know this today because this is exactly how Satan our great adversary comes against you and I. So often Satan tries his best to ensnare and deceive people. The picture here in verse 4 reminds us of a believer being caught like a bird in a trap. We can become trapped and ensnared by sinful things and we so desperately need the Lord to rescue us. This is why David prays for God to take him out of the net or trap. In our own strength we are unable to get out. However, with God’s redemption we can and will be delivered. In verse 5 we something very familiar. In fact, David’s words here, these living words that David spoke were in fact our Lord’s dying words while he was on the cross. What David is doing here is committing his hands and his life to God, because our life has ultimately been given to us by God in the first place. When we come to realize this then we can also know that we are safe in God’s hands. David says here that God has redeemed him and he realized the faithfulness of God. Our past deliverances should be strong prayers for God’s present assistance. Why do I say that? Because what God has done in the past he will do again as we faithfully follow him. God is gracious to his saints and will not turn away from his people.

2. Take Refuge in God and be assured of His Love and Loyalty.

Psalm 31:6–8 ESV

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, 8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.

Several different times in this Psalm we see that David is reminded of God’s love for him. Church, this really can serve to show us that when dealing with difficulties and affliction throughout our lives we can have assurance in God as we wait on His help and deliverance. When we repent of our sin and place our faith in Christ we come into a relationship with Jesus, which He makes an unbreakable covenant with us. The Apostle Paul explains it this way in Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8:37–39 ESV

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In times of affliction we need the assurance of God’s loyal and perfect love.

Look at what David says in verses 6 and 7. His trust is in God, and because of this David can rejoice and be glad.

David says here that he hates his enemies or those who seek after worthless idols. This may seem rather harsh, but David hates those who hate God or are against God. David had no desire to be in the presence or hang out with those who were against God. David’s trust was in God and those who were wicked and against God, David withdrew himself from. I want you to see this today church because when we ourselves are facing affliction we need to make sure we run to God and not to those who are against Him. As we run to God and take refuge in Him, we must also make sure that we give God praise and rejoice in Him. David tells us here in verse 7 that God knows his affliction and distress. This helps us to understand that God knows what you are going through. You are not alone because God is there and knows your circumstance. Jesus is our great physician and He knows every case. Nothing is new to him.

The last thing that I want to remind you about when it comes to God’s love and loyalty is a very important lesson. David talks about the enemy in verse 8. Here is the lesson. Even though the enemy may get a short advantage over us, and we can feel defeated, God is there and he will provide a way of escape. So run to him and submit to him and we can resist the devil and he will flee from us.

3. Take Refuge in God and be assured of His Deliverance.

Psalm 31:9–13 ESV

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. 10 For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. 12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13 For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.

As we read these verses it can be difficult to hear, but we also know that there are many people who can resonate with David’s affliction. Any time we go through seasons of intense suffering we can feel consumed with grief as David did. We learn here that David was feeling forgotten, he was in distress dealing with grief, and sorrow. It was as if his whole life was coming to an end. One of the greatest lies of the enemy is that as we face affliction we are alone. We can feel as if no one understands and no one has ever suffered like we have. In fact if we believe this lie instead of dealing honestly with our affliction we will just burry it and hide it. This just leads to more despair and guilt.

More than anything in verses 9-13 we see that David desired for God to deliver him. His affliction was great and the only way that David could get any comfort and have any peace was through trusting in God and knowing that God had delivered him many times and would do it once again. And yet David still pours out his heart to God. Here we see the true nature of David’s heart and life. He was in great anguish, distress, and grief. Some of you know what it is like to be facing these things that David himself faced. You have no strength to get out of bed. You are overwhelmed by what someone has said or done to you. You have much sorrow and grief as David did. The truth is this may be more of a spiritual battle than a physical battle. The adversary has attacked you and you need God to desperately deliver you.

Be reminded today of God’s goodness, His love and loyalty and that He is sufficient. The next time you are facing affliction be patient and wait on the Lord knowing that God is there. Affliction is certain, however you have a choice. You can let the affliction and heaviness overtake you, or you can stand up and fight and take assurance as David did that God is there to deliver you.

One of the early church fathers by the name of Augustine once said, “God had only one Son without sin, but He has no sons without affliction. Don’t be surprised by suffering. Learn to pray in the midst of it. Learn to see Christ as your unshakeable hope to endure it and your great hope for getting to the other side of it. Remember that this Psalm of lament, as well as the other Psalms of lament can and should lead us to say Lord we want you to come. Come Lord Jesus. Soon our faith will end in sight as it has for those who have gone before us and our affliction and suffering will be no more. Our laments will be replaced with wonderful shouts to our glorious and triumphant Savior Jesus Christ.”

(Close in Prayer)

Father we come to you today and we confess our afflictions, our doubts, and fears to you. Father it is easy for us to wonder how long O Lord as David did. When will you come to rescue us? So, help us to be reminded today that you are our great protector. You are our rock, refuge, and mighty fortress. God hold us up today so that we don’t fall. Give us strength God and stand by us so that Satan will depart. Teach us once again to look to you Christ and be reminded of what you endured on the cross for us. May we run to you each and every day and take refuge in you. We ask these things in Jesus name Amen.