Sacred Whispers Blog

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

Psalm 119:71 (KJV)

There’s something paradoxical about suffering. It’s not a friend we welcome or a gift we just can’t wait to unwrap, yet the Psalmist boldly declares it “good” to have been afflicted. This declaration challenges the way we perceive pain and hardship. It turns our instincts upside down, inviting us to see suffering not as a curse but as an opportunity—a divine classroom where God reveals Himself in ways we could not otherwise grasp.

THE CLASSROOM OF AFFLICTION

Think back to a time when you faced a deep trial. Perhaps it was an illness that weakened your body or a loss that shattered your heart. Maybe it was a season of failure that shook your confidence or a betrayal that fractured your trust. If you’re honest, wasn’t that also a time when you prayed most fervently, sought God most earnestly, and clung to His promises most desperately?  The question to ask in those sacred seasons of suffering is, ‘what lesson is this experience purposefully designed to teach me?’

Suffering is the great equalizer.  It strips the rich and the poor alike of their illusions of self-dependence. It dismantles the high, unscalable walls we’ve built around our lives to protect ourselves from discomfort. In those moments of exposed vulnerability, we discover truths about God—and ourselves—that we may never have encountered unless the we had been give the honor of suffering.

The Psalmist speaks from the depth of this reality, finding purpose in his pain. His affliction became a looking glass, reflecting his utter dependence and need for God.  God used his affliction to be a compass, guiding him to the life-giving strength that is only found in His Word.  God calls His Word here in this passage, statutes.  The Hebrew word used is a word that mimics our word for a medical prescription.  The thought the text is attempting to give is that in every life there is a specific amount of suffering that God has prescribed for our personal development and spiritual growth.  No athlete ever perfects his craft without a certain amount of discipline, no artist ever masters his art without a certain amount of practice, and no believer ever fulfills his purpose without a certain amount of suffering.

FINDING PURPOSE IN THE PAIN

John Bunyan, the beloved 17^th century writer and Puritan minister, understood well what it meant to find purpose in pain.  Bunyan was imprisoned for his faith, Bunyan faced the agony of separation from his wife and children, including a blind daughter whom he loved dearly. He could have succumbed to despair, but instead, he turned his suffering into a sacred offering.

From his prison cell, Bunyan wrote the words of the loved fable, Pilgrim’s Progress, that have guided millions through their spiritual journeys. His chains gave birth to wisdom, and his affliction became fertile soil for God’s purposes to take root and blossom. Reflecting on his suffering, Bunyan once wrote, “It was good for me that I was afflicted, for in that I have found God’s presence and truth.”

His story reminds us that affliction can be a refining fire. It can burn away our pride and distractions, leaving behind a heart wholly devoted to God.

THE LESSONS IN THE PAIN

When we allow suffering to be our teacher, we unlock lessons that cannot be learned in seasons of ease.

1. Humility – Pain reminds us of our limits and draws us closer to the One who is limitless. It teaches us to depend not on our own strength but on God’s sustaining grace.
2. Empathy – There’s a deep connection forged in the fellowship of suffering. When we’ve walked through pain, we are better equipped to walk with others through theirs. Our own scars become bridges to healing and understanding.
3. Faith – Suffering deepens our faith by forcing us to trust God in the unknown. When the answers aren’t clear and the road ahead seems dark, we learn to cling to His promises, even when we can’t see His hand.
4. Perseverance – The trials we endure today build the endurance we need for tomorrow. Suffering shapes us into resilient disciples, prepared to face whatever lies ahead with unwavering confidence in God.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Pain is a tool in the hands of the Divine Gardener, pruning away the excess, refining our character, and making room for greater growth.

We may not understand why certain trials come our way, but we can trust the heart of our wise and loving God. He will never waste a single tear, nor will he allow one moment of anguish to go unheard.  He is a skilled Surgeon, who does not cut where it will not bring healing.

A PERSPECTIVE SHIFT

The promise of Psalm 119:71 is not that suffering will be easy or that we will always understand it, but that it will be meaningful. God uses it to teach us His ways, to draw us closer to His heart, and to prepare us for His purposes.

When we embrace this perspective, we find strength to endure. We learn to see beyond the pain and glimpse the hand of a loving Father at work. Suffering, when surrendered to God, becomes a bridge to deeper intimacy with Him.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for meeting me in my affliction and using it to teach me Your ways. Help me to trust Your hand, even when I cannot see Your plan. Give me the courage to surrender my pain to You, knowing that You are working all things together for my good and Your glory. Strengthen my faith, deepen my understanding, and let my life be a testament to Your refining love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DAILY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE

Set aside 30 minutes to journal about a time when you experienced suffering. Reflect on how that experience shaped your relationship with God. What did you learn about His character? What did you learn about yourself? Ask God to show you how He is working through any current challenges, and commit to trusting Him through the process.