DEALING WITH AFFLICTIONS

"Is any among you afflicted? LET HIM PRAY..." James 5:13

 

I'll like to start with the definition of affliction.

Affliction is simply defined as "a cause of pain or harm". Another definition of affliction is "A condition of pain, suffering, or distress".

 

So, if you're dealing with a condition that has caused you pain, suffering, distress or harm, you are afflicted. For example, if you are broke, you are afflicted; if you have been laid off unjustly, you are afflicted. Anything causing you to stay awake at night with a heavy heart is an affliction.

 

At a point during an affliction, I lost my ability to sleep. I would lay awake every night AND CRY. I was a wreck. I had EVERY reason to throw a pity party. I was the injured party, though the person causing the pain felt justified to cause the pain. I was at a crossroad; I didn't know what to do. Each physical step I took (while walking) was a step of faith. I felt I would soon literally fall down and die, lol. I couldn't sleep because I was sure if I slept off, I would pass on to the great beyond. That's how great the grief was.

 

Anyway, one day I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to check what the Bible really says about afflictions. I did a search on "affliction" and one of the verses I found was James 5:13a. I just stopped there and poured my heart out to the Lord in prayer. I did this for about a week. I'll just stay awake and pour my heart out in prayer.

 

Eventually, I started becoming hopeful. I began to believe that there was a reason to remain alive. Once, as I listened to Bishop T.D. Jakes preach about how he knows that someone has given up TOTALLY when they lose their physical appetite, I asked God to restore my appetite. Slowly, but surely, I began to eat and function again.

 

Interestingly, the person that caused me this pain is still insisting on their right to continue to afflict me. However, I have been strengthened enough to REFUSE pain, suffering, distress or harm as a result of the person's (in)actions. As I continue in prayers, my inner man is continually built up and I'm no longer hurt by things that used to hurt me before. Sometimes, prayer doesn't IMMEDIATELY change the adverse situation. Instead, it builds you up and makes you stand strong in the face of such situations. You cannot live an authentic Spirit-controlled life, if you won't pray.

 

I need to repeat for emphasis that prayer doesn't ALWAYS make things go according to YOUR plan. You've got to learn to say like Jesus Christ "Not My will but Yours be done". When you're praying through an affliction, you need to surrender your will, plans and emotions to the Master. Many dealing with afflictions talk about how they've been praying and "NOTHING" is happening. It isn't true that nothing is happening; your spiritual muscles are being toned. In His time, the situation(s) will turn around in your favour.

 

Sometimes, the afflictions arise as a result of our (in)actions. The Biblical way out is still to pray. As you pray, the Lord will reveal what your next steps ought to be. Note that "God will show us the way but WE have to do the walking". We are the ones to physically implement what God tells us to do. This area is KEY in dealing with afflictions. Hezekiah was afflicted with a disease. The word of the Lord came to him that the disease would kill him; he countered the verdict with PRAYERS and God asked Isaiah to go back and reverse the death sentence. THEN Isaiah asked them to boil figs and use on the boil. After obeying instructions TO THE LETTER, Hezekiah was healed (2 Kings 20:1-7). Some of us have truncated the process (or caused delays) because we have ignored vital instructions the Lord gave us concerning the affliction.

 

I'll most likely talk about this again. I currently need to sleep back, lol.

 

Enjoy your day.