“Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, ‘Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.’ Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew…”
Exodus 1:8–12 NKJV
In 1994, my life seemed to be on an upward trajectory. I graduated from college and got married in the same year. But little did I know that the sins of my past would follow me into my new life. For ten long years, I endured the affliction of barrenness. Doctors declared, “Never,” “Impossible,” or, “If it happens, the consequences could be severe.”
This affliction seemed relentless—until I began a journey of interceding for other women in similar situations. In that space of prayer, I discovered something profound: God and I wanted different things. I desired a fruitful womb, but He was pursuing a fruitful relationship. God used the pain of barrenness to draw me closer to Him, shaping me through the very affliction I wanted to escape.
THE LESSONS FROM AFFLICTION
The story of the Israelites in Exodus 1 reflects how God uses affliction for His purpose. Generations after Joseph saved Egypt from ruin, the Israelites became so numerous that they were seen as a threat. Fearful and resentful, Pharaoh enslaved them, setting taskmasters over them to afflict them. Yet, the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and grew.
Exodus 1:8–12 demonstrates how God uses affliction to bring growth, fulfill His promises, and shape us into the image of His Son. It reveals that affliction is not a punishment but a tool for His divine purpose.
The Hebrew word for “afflict” (lachats) means “to squeeze, press, or oppress.” Affliction often feels like being crushed under the weight of physical or emotional pain. Yet, as with the Israelites, it is in these moments of pressing that God produces growth and fruitfulness in us.
THREE WAYS GOD USES AFFLICTION
- God Can Use the Affliction as a Teacher
Psalm 119:67, 71 declares, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word… It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes.” Affliction teaches us obedience and reliance on God.
Even Jesus Christ, our greatest example, endured the affliction of the cross. Through His suffering, many were made righteous. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 1:8–10 reminds us that affliction teaches us to depend on God rather than ourselves. “…That was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” In our affliction, we learn to lean on the God who sustains and delivers.
- God Can Use the Affliction to Lead Us to Repentance
Psalm 25:16–18 pleads, “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted… Forgive all my sins.” God uses affliction to turn our hearts toward Him, bringing us to a place of repentance and deliverance.
Psalm 34:19 assures us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” The goal of affliction is never to destroy us—it is to deliver and restore us.
- God Can Use the Affliction to Display His Power In Us
2 Corinthians 12:9–10 reveals, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” In our weakest moments, God’s power is displayed most gloriously. The Apostle Paul boasted in his infirmities because they allowed the power of Christ to rest upon him.
Affliction reminds us that we carry a treasure in earthen vessels, as stated in 2 Corinthians 4:7–10. “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed…” This “light affliction” is working in us a “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” God uses what seems unbearable to produce eternal significance.
A TESTIMONY OF GOD’S PROMISE
Looking back on my ten years of affliction, I now see how God used that season to develop a deeper relationship with Him. It was through that journey that I witnessed the fulfillment of His promise: the birth of two beautiful daughters.
Whatever affliction you are facing today, know this: it will not hinder God’s promises. In fact, it may be the very means He uses to birth those promises, conforming you to the image of His Son and confirming His redemptive plan in your life. Romans 8:18 reminds us, “…The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
PRAYER
Father God, thank You for using affliction to shape and refine us. Strengthen us as we endure seasons of pressing, and remind us that these are light afflictions preparing us for eternal glory. Help us to rely on Your strength and not our own, knowing You will never leave us nor forsake us. May we walk in obedience and trust, confident that You are working all things for our good. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
Reflect on how God has used affliction in your life to bring growth or draw you closer to Him. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16–17 and journal your thoughts.
Post Scriptures in visible places to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness. Trust that He will restore the years, redeem the time, and bring joy even in seasons of hardship.
Published on Jan 25 @ 12:44 AM EDT
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