Sometimes life is difficult; problems, tragedies, pain and suffering can come out of nowhere and it can feel like a punch in the stomach. Life as we know it can change in an instant. God, however, does not change. An event in our life may change us, or those around us, but it does not change God. The God who was there when the Israelites were held in captivity is the same God who is with us today.
Tony Dungy on Losing his Son to Suicide:
"If God had talked to me before James’ death and said his death would have helped all these people, it would have saved them and healed their sins, but I would have to take your son, I would have said no, I can’t do that.”
“But God had the same choice 2,000 years ago with His Son, Jesus Christ, and it paved the way for you and me to have eternal life. That’s the benefit I got, that’s the benefit James got and that’s the benefit you can get if you accept Jesus into your heart today as your Savior.”
“But God had the same choice 2,000 years ago with His Son, Jesus Christ, and it paved the way for you and me to have eternal life. That’s the benefit I got, that’s the benefit James got and that’s the benefit you can get if you accept Jesus into your heart today as your Savior.”
“Why does God allow pain in our life?” Dungy asked in his emotionally charged speech. “Because we’re loved by God and the pain allows us to head back to our Father.”
I’m not sure anything is more difficult that losing a child or watching your child suffer. God understands what it’s like to experience that. Jesus understands what it is like to suffer.
Prayer when Afflicted Psalm 102:1-11
Affliction - the cause of persistent pain or distress; great suffering.
The suffering the Psalmist is referring to is most likely a result of the Babylonian Captivity. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Judah and drove thousands of Israelites into exile.
V1 - Hear my prayer
V2 - Hiding Face - Withdrawing Favor
God will show his presence. He may not give you a direct answer to your question but he will make his presence know to you.
V3 - Burning Bones - Heat of the Affliction - intense. Smoke quickly fades as the days of their lives vanish before their eyes.
V4 His heart was withering like grass once it dies
Forgetting to eat - the turmoil is so great that he forgets to take care of his own physical needs.
V5 Groaning - pain from suffering
V6 Desert Owl - Alone in the desert fighting for Food
V7 Cannot Sleep - Feeling Alone
V8 Enemies Taunt me, ridicule me.
V9 Ashes - a sign of mourning
V10 Thrown aside - punished for prior behavior
V11 Psalmist days were withering away and fading like the sun
Have you ever felt like this? Alone, Afraid, in Pain, thinking the days are just going by?
God never leaves us. Many times when we feel alone it's because we have turned away from God, not God turning away from us.
God Reigns Forever Psalm 102:12-14
We see the focus change - from what is going wrong to who God is.
V12 - God is forever, fame - memorial or remembrance.
V13 - God will deliver his promise to bless Jerusalem in his time.
V14 - The love of the land God gave them & their people
It is important for us to remember who God is in our times of trials. He is constant, He is unchanging, When things turn upside down - It’s not God changing, It’s us and our circumstances.
God Never Changes Psalm 102: 24-28
The psalmist is begging for God to allow him to see God’s blessings come to fruition.
Things wear out - What is eternal in your life - Do you put emphasis on it? Are you investing in it?
Your children will at some point in their life experience pain, will be afflicted. No matter how much you try to shield them from it, it will affect them. Are you preparing them for it? If not your failing them. Are you modeling for your children how to depend on God through the difficult times in life. Are you teaching them to invest in what is eternal.
Anyone in here with some 20yr old clothes?
You know what I hate about Clothes? They are expensive, and they wear out, tear, stain, or we grow out of them and they eventually must be replaced.
Cars, homes, vacations - they all fade. When afflictions come in our life they don’t help, it’s meaningless. Have you ever heard a person talk about how their wealth helped them through a difficult time?
God will never end - his word is constant, unchanging. We know that no matter what happens in our lives God is there.
Once your saved - How can you get to Heaven? Death is the only way and it’s painful, it hurts others. It’s the only way to join the father.
