What does "before I was afflicted" reveal about the purpose of trials? Opening the Text “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your word.” What the Psalmist Admits • He had drifted—“I went astray.” • God allowed affliction—pain with a purpose. • The suffering redirected him—“now I keep Your word.” Why God Sends Trials • They halt our wandering – Like guardrails, afflictions keep us from plunging farther into sin (Hebrews 12:10–11). • They reveal hidden loyalties – Trials uncover whose voice we truly follow (Deuteronomy 8:2; 1 Peter 1:6–7). • They drive us back to Scripture – Pain made the psalmist cling to God’s commands; the same pattern repeats in Psalm 119:71, 75. • They shape Christ-like character – “Suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope” (Romans 5:3–4). • They testify to God’s faithful love – “In faithfulness You have afflicted me” (Psalm 119:75), proving His discipline is an act of covenant care. Affliction as God’s Classroom Psalm 119 paints trials as a learning environment: 1. Verse 67 – Correction: turns us from our own path. 2. Verse 71 – Instruction: “that I might learn Your statutes.” 3. Verse 75 – Assurance: confirms God’s righteousness and faithfulness. Living This Truth Today • Expect fatherly discipline; it signals belonging to Him (Hebrews 12:6–8). • Let suffering press you deeper into God’s Word rather than into resentment. • Remember: trials are temporary, but the fruit—holiness, steadfastness, intimacy with God—endures (James 1:2–4; Job 23:10). The Big Picture “Before I was afflicted” shows that trials are never wasted; they are divine interventions that stop our drift, restore our obedience, and showcase God’s faithful love. |
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