The Benefits of Affliction¹

A Sermon by Archibald Alexander

Psalms 119:71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted.

Man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Manifold are the afflictions humanity suffers; and from these the godly are not exempt. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” Christ said to His disciples: “In the world ye shall have tribulation”. The rich spiritual blessings to which believers have become heirs are consistent with much suffering; indeed the afflictions of the righteous are a part of their heritage. They are necessary as a means to their greatest improvement and happiness. It is therefore written: “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest”. “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver. I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Let us inquire then what benefits may be derived from affliction.

1. Afflictions have often been made the means of bringing careless and impenitent sinners to serious thought, which leads them to repentance and a thorough reformation of life. This effect is produced by cutting off the person from his sinful indulgences. A spell of sickness or a sore bereavement interrupts him in his course of worldly pursuits. It has a tendency to show him the unsubstantial nature of all worldly possessions and enjoyments. Under the pressures of affliction, he feels his dependence. Pain urges him to seek relief, but human help is vain. When sorely distressed he begins to cry unto God. Multitudes now in heaven can say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted”, for “before I was afflicted, I went astray”.

We know indeed that affliction, like other means of grace, does not of itself produce any beneficial effect on those who are subject to it. It requires the influence of the Holy Spirit to render it effectual to the conviction and conversion of sinners. But its tendency is to lead to serious reflection and to a change of life; and often, we believe, the Spirit of God does accompany His chastening rod, so that it is made the means of bringing men and women, not only to serious thought, but to repentance not to be repented of.

One instance from Scripture is that of Manasseh. The case is very remarkable on two accounts: first, because he was one of the greatest sinners who ever lived; and second, he was an old man when his conversion took place. The history of this event is found in 2 Chronicles 33:11-13: “Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his

¹Reprinted, with editing, from Alexander’s Practical Sermons.

God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto Him; and He was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem, into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord He was God.”

1. Afflictions are made eminently beneficial to the pious by preventing them from fixing their affections unduly on earthly things. There is too strong a tendency in all minds towards the things which are present and visible. These worldly objects become a snare to many; by pursuing riches or honours too strongly, they become involved in many difficult situations and often pierce themselves through with many sorrows. A season of sore affliction may be a real blessing, by preventing inordinate attachment to the world.

Or when the affections are already placed too strongly on some earthly object, it is often the method of providence to remove that object. Even the dearest earthly relatives may become snares to the soul of the pilgrim. Children may be too much loved, in comparison with the Saviour, and if they are snatched away from the tender embrace of their parents, the discipline, though painful, is often salutary, and even necessary. When God thus disciplines His children, He causes them to see why He thus afflicts them; and commonly they are enabled, after a while, to say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted”. For although “no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them who are exercised thereby”.

1. As affliction is often used to prevent the saints from wandering; it is also the usual method by which backsliders are reclaimed. When Christians have declined considerably from the lively exercises of religion, they are little affected by the warnings of the Word. It is to them like a tale often told. They are asleep and have only a dreamy notion of the realities of eternity.

From this sleep of carnal security, into which even the pious are liable to fall, they are commonly awakened by the application of the rod. Some severe dispensation of providence overtakes them, and they are brought to a stand. Serious reflection is, as it were, forced upon them, and their eyes are opened to see how far they have wandered from the right path. By affliction the heart is softened, and the truths of the Word now sink deep into the inmost soul. Deep contrition is produced, and the soul lies humbled in the dust under the chastising strokes of his Father in heaven. He mourns in bitterness over his folly and unfaithfulness, and writes bitter things against himself; scarcely believing that God can be reconciled to such an ungrateful wretch.

God speaks in the language of lovingkindness, “Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings”; “Take with you words, and turn to the Lord; say unto Him, Take away all iniquity”, heal our backslidings

and love us freely, and let Thine anger be turned away from us. The mercy of the Lord appears even more wonderful in receiving the backslider on his return than in his first conversion. Convinced at length of the lovingkindness and tender mercy of the Lord, the penitent backslider responds to the kind invitation: “Come, let us return unto the Lord; for He hath torn and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up”.

1. Affliction serves as a furnace to purge out the dross which still lurks in the regenerate heart. Just as precious metals are separated from their dross by being cast into a furnace heated seven times, so the people of God are purified as by fire. The furnace not only serves to purge out the dross, but to test the genuineness of the metal. Not every thing which glistens is gold, says the proverb. The ore must be tried in the fire, and if it contains pure gold, the precious metal will shine forth brightly while the dross is consumed. Thus afflictions also test the genuineness of our piety. If there is nothing in us that will stand the fire, we may be certain that our religion is no better than a counterfeit. The Apostle Peter makes a striking use of this similitude: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ”.

Affliction not only serves as a test to try the genuineness of our religion, it provides an opportunity of exercising some of the most excellent graces of the pious heart. Before it is tried, faith cannot certainly be known to be faith; but when the dark cloud of adversity lowers over the soul, faith, when it exists in the soul, comes forth with vigour and supports the soul ready to sink, by laying hold of God’s promises. It also provides an opportunity for submission to the will of God to be manifested. It is easy to say, “Thy will be done”, while we bask in the sunshine of prosperity; but when the pressure of affliction is sorely felt, there will be a struggle.

Self-love makes us restive at first and tries to throw off the burden; but where there is a principle of piety, the soul bows in submission after a short conflict and says, “It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good”. Though a spirit of rebellion is felt, it is subdued and the soul quietly acquiesces in the divine appointment. It even kisses the rod by which it is smitten, saying, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted”. And even when it does not see the good to be derived from bereavement, the believer, knowing from whom the stroke has proceeded, is still. He is like Aaron when his two oldest sons were smitten dead before his face; he held his peace.

Patience is another excellent Christian virtue which has no room for exercise except in a state of suffering. This grace is often strongly set forth in the Holy Scriptures, and its exercise tends to show all observers the excellence

of true religion. The saints never, in any circumstances, glorify God more than when they let patience have its perfect work while they are suffering in the furnace of affliction. Paul gloried in tribulation, because it wrought patience. “In your patience,” says Christ, “possess ye your souls.” And Paul exhorts to be “patient in tribulation”. “Be patient,” says James, “unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient.”

Affliction is in its nature painful; so it is the opposite of joy and it might seem, at first view, inconsistent with this state of mind. But while we suffer tribulation we may rejoice. Paul says, “We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost”. Now the heart in which the love of God is shed abroad must be full of joy; and this is experienced in the midst of tribulations. We are commanded to rejoice always, and therefore we are bound to rejoice in the midst of affliction.

Internal peace is often most perfect when the person is under the pressure of external affliction. The experience of real Christians testifies that their seasons of richest spiritual enjoyment are not days of outward prosperity, but dark days of adversity. Indeed, in order to receive true spiritual peace, it seems necessary for the heart to be reduced from that state of hardness or indifference which prosperity naturally induces, to a state of sensitivity, which is often the result of affliction. The joy of the Lord requires a heart deeply conscious of its own weakness and unworthiness, which, in the truly pious, is produced by having it pierced by arrows of adversity.

One effect of affliction on most people is to urge them to seek God’s help. Even the ungodly will often pray earnestly for deliverance from a painful affliction, but affliction almost always has this effect on those who are sincerely pious. They pray in prosperity, but their prayers often become formal; their souls are not stirred up from the bottom; they do not go forth in warm desires. But the rod arouses the soul from its apathy and stimulates it to call on God with fervent cries and supplications. The spirit of prayer which is aroused by adversity is not merely for deliverance from the pressure of the particular affliction under which it labours, but it is thus brought to a lively feeling of its own sinfulness, and its urgent need of stronger faith and more perfect patience and submission. It is led to enquire why it is thus afflicted. It searches for hidden and neglected sins and can commonly see reason enough for the severity of God’s dispensations; it can often trace the affliction to some particular transgression or the neglect of some particular duty.

Affliction often opens up to someone’s view a depth of iniquity not perceived before. Thus it serves to humble the soul in deep penitence, which is the very temper suited to prayer. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Affliction not only is a powerful means of promoting the knowledge of our own hearts and of the depth of iniquity which lodges there; it furnishes an opportunity for a more experimental knowledge of the wisdom, faithfulness and mercy of God in His treatment of His children. He brings them into deep waters, that He may manifest the truth of His promises, which are all yea and amen in Christ Jesus.

Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity, says the proverb. When hope is nearly extinct, and the distressed soul is sinking as in miry clay where there is no standing, help from God is experienced. It may be delayed to let the person try his own wisdom and strength to obtain relief, but when all other resources fail, God is pleased to speak comfortingly to the troubled heart. God, as it were, takes him by the hand, and extricates him from the horrible pit and miry clay, sets him upon a rock, establishes his goings, and puts a new song into his mouth, even of praise to God, for delivering mercy. Knowledge of the faithfulness and loving-kindness of his heavenly Father, thus obtained, is far more valuable than the mere theory of these truths without experience. On his deathbed, an eminent theologian said to those around him: “I have learned more of God in these few days that I have been confined to this bed of sickness than I ever knew before, with all my laborious study”.

Affliction is not always chastisement. It is sometimes for trial, and to manifest faith’s power to endure with patience the burden which may be laid upon it. Thus Job’s overwhelming calamities were sent to try his sincerity and faith. So also, in the case of Abraham, when he was required to offer up his beloved son Isaac. And we have no right to infer, as Job’s friends did, that when God lays grievous afflictions on anyone, it is evidence that he is a great sinner.

Afflictions may seem severe, but they are often the means of preventing much greater evils. We cannot fully appreciate the benefits which arise from them; yet we may know, by reflecting seriously on our own experience, that providence has interposed to open our eyes to the danger to which we were exposed. When we were gradually approaching some dangerous temptation which would in all probability have overcome us, providence has prevented the fall by laying us on a sickbed or by a sore bereavement, and the snare in which we were entangled has been broken. Not only may affliction be the means of preventing the believer’s fall into sin, but one affliction may be the occasion of warding off another which would be much greater. How often

such deliverances occur no mortal can tell, because we cannot know the consequences of events which never took place. God only knows how much we are all indebted to our afflictions for escaping awful crimes or overwhelming calamities. The children of God would undoubtedly apostatise were it not for the restraints laid upon them by the external dispensations of His providence as well as by the internal operations of His grace.

Once more, God often uses afflictions to prepare the saints for heaven, by causing them to desire rest from their protracted sufferings. Our affections are naturally attached to earthly objects, and although grace changes the current of our thoughts, yet there is an undue attachment to these objects. Here we have a home where we may have lived for a long time and every object around us is prized above its real value. Besides, we are surrounded by dear relatives with whom we are naturally unwilling to part: a wife who, it may be, has become helpless, and young dependent children. They may, as we suppose, need our assistance, and we cannot see how they can be provided for and rendered comfortable if we should be taken away from them. We naturally ask, What will become of them when we are gone? Who will take care of them? In addition, the future is covered with darkness. We cannot understand how we shall exist in that untried state, and what our emotions will be.

A strong faith will indeed counteract these earthly influences, but such a faith is aided by afflictions which show us the emptiness of all worldly possessions and enjoyments. Under the pressure of long continued disease, the desire of deliverance and rest becomes strong enough to counteract our attachment to earth and make us willing to leave friends and possessions so that we may be free from the pains which we endure.

Some Christians have been distressed because they have been so little afflicted, fearing lest they were not the children of God – because, as Scripture says, all sons receive chastisement. Let such not be troubled on this account, for their time of adversity may not yet have arrived. Some families, for many years, appear exempt from strokes of adversity; numerous children grow up in health and there is no breach among them. But this cannot last. The longer adversity is in coming, the broader is the mark for its arrows. These children, however healthy for a season, may sicken and die. Do not be impatient for affliction, it will come soon enough. It has already been remarked that there are internal afflictions which fill the soul with unspeakable anguish when no external cause exists. These are often among the severest afflictions, and are as real as those which are outward.

The use I would make of what has been said is to exhort God’s afflicted.

(1.) Recognize the hand of God in every affliction. Do not look to second causes: do not look to the persons who may have been the instruments of

your sufferings. If the wicked have reviled and slandered you, follow the example of David and say, The Lord hath bidden them – that is, the Lord has permitted this affliction for your chastisement.

(2.) Never murmur at the dealings of divine providence. Nothing can befall you apart from God’s ordering. Do not fret therefore at what He does, for however dark the dispensation, wisdom and mercy guide the stroke. Say then: “I know that Thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.”

(3.) Try to obtain benefit from your afflictions by exercising patience and submission. God has a sovereign right to dispose of you and yours. Do not rebel against Him. He has promised that all these things shall work together for your good. More, He has declared that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

(4.) Consider that this is not your state of rest; that state is to come. Here you are subjected to various trials but, when you have suffered a while, you shall have an abundant entrance administered to you into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Christ.