"Many are the
afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them
all."
Psalm 34:19
Make no mistake about
it, as a child of the Most High God you are guaranteed afflictions along this
Christian journey… When you are walking upright, in honesty and blameless
throughout this world (which are all
characteristics of righteousness) you are assured to be persecuted and afflicted… There are none
on this earth who are righteous; however, through the bloodshed of Jesus we can
be clothed in righteousness and therefore walk in victory as oppose to
darkness… I state this about righteousness because it is important to
understand that when you face trials because of your desire to walk in
righteousness you must remember that the attack isn’t’ against you but against
the one you are clothed in… This is why the psalmist states that even though we
are afflicted, “…the Lord delivereth
him out of them all…” This battle is about
the God you serve; remember this in the midst of your storm because it will
help you to know that you are not alone and not fighting this battle within
your own abilities… This Christian walk isn’t green pastures, it isn’t fields
of orchards or streams of rivers and despite what you may want to believe, you
must understand this so that you don’t find yourself susceptible to the attacks
within your mind by the enemy… As we look to this day to celebrate love, let us
remember the love of Christ and the afflictions He bore on our behalf… Today is
a day that we associate with love and romance… We associate today with spending
time with that special someone and enjoying the love that we have been blessed
and fortunate to obtain… Let us remember the love that we have today, but let
us more importantly remember the greatest display of love ever shown to
mankind… The psalmist reminds us today that the afflictions of the righteous
are many; affliction is suffering, burden, hardship or pain and today as we
embrace love let us know that affliction is a very important key to that word
we so easily throw around… I often tell people
that love is a (n) action word and must be followed by actions in order to
validate the notion that is being put forth out of your mouth... I don’t’ know about you, but the word of God
has taught me the meaning of true love… When I say I love someone I am willing
to suffer for them, I am willing to endure hardships and accept trials and
tribulations… We, as children of God are called to endure the temptations of
this world, we are called to suffer for the name of Christ in order to showcase
the love and desire we have for Him… Remember that Christ said no greater love hath a man than this that he
lay down his life for his friends…We are told in John 3:16, “…that God so loved the world…” After that we see Jesus enduring the
afflictions of a whip, spit, punches and a cross… We see Jesus mocked,
humiliated and pierced in His side; the love of God was on display through the
affliction of that very night in which Christ was crucified… Know that love is not valid without suffering… True love is showcased in what you are willing
to accept and/or overlook… I once heard a preacher say that when we love
someone it isn’t a physical attraction, it means that we have come to a point
where we say I know this persons faults and I am able to accept them and
embrace them for who they are… Understanding love today is vital to our
Christian growth and walk, if we are not willing to suffer for Christ, if we
are not willing to endure the cross that is for us to bear than we are not
really walking according to the will of God and are simply fooling ourselves… Know that there is not affliction that is insurmountable;
there is no trial that you can’t overcome and no door that cannot be opened or
closed by God… Notice that the
psalmist says “Many are the
afflictions of the righteous,” it is certain that trials will come knocking and storms will
approach your door; however, it is also certain that “…the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” God knows that trials aren’t fun, His word
tells us that in Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but
sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the
peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Trials come to make you stronger; love is
showcased through the trials you face… Today when you say you love someone know
that afflictions speak the words that you can’t and
love is shown in times of adversity… In times of adversity God is going through it with you, that’s
the only way that you make it out every single time and this is the greatest
example of love…
GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!
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