Greetings to you, dear friends! I thank God for the current opportunity to share with you the wisdom of God. Today I would like to start talking about suffering as a method of discipline. This series is a part of my new book titled “How to turn a tragedy into triumph?” The book still exists in electronic format. I am asking you to pray that God would help to print it in the right time. One of the reasons God allows suffering in the lives of His children is that He desires to draw our attention to Himself, to correct and discipline us. We know that God mostly corrects us by His Word:
«All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work» (2 Timothy, 3:16-17).
Unfortunately, many believers are inconsiderate of God’s Word and often neglect His voice. How often God speaks to us in a very ‘matter-of-fact’ manner, but we do quite the opposite to what He says: «Therefore the LORD said: “Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honour Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, therefore, behold, I will again do a marvellous work among this people, a marvellous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden» (Isaiah, 29:13-14).
This passage tells us that we can draw near to God and seemingly fear Him, and yet be far away from God in our hearts. It actually is hypocrisy. How can God attract the attention of the people that know His Word, but live in a totally different way? How can God correct His children that have ears but do not hear the admonishing of the Holy Spirit? For this very reason God allows suffering in the lives of a person – He wants to correct him or her. Jonah is a wonderful example of what often happens in the lives of God’s children. God told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh, yet Jonah decided to go in the opposite direction – to the city of Tarshish: «Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up» (Jonah, 1:1-4).
God stopped the stubborn prophet through sorrow and suffering, having placed him in the belly of a big fish: «So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows. No the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights» (Jonah, 1: 15-17).
It was there, in the belly of the fish that Jonah understood that he had departed from God too far. Then Jonah repented and prayed to God to forgive him: «Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the fish’s belly. And he said: „I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; the deep closed me; weeds were wrapped abound my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD, my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the LORD; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple» (Jonah, 2:1-7).
You see, how affliction and suffering opened Jonah’s eyes to see the truth about his spiritual condition. Suddenly Jonah remembered about the Lord, even though until then he had considered himself to be a hero and in total control. Lord’s discipline and correction redirect us, but it is not without pain. Yet it is better to be punished by God and stay sound in one’s mind and spirit than to be unpunished and perish with the unbelievers. May God enlighten the eyes of your heart! Till tomorrow! Pastor Rufus Ajiboye
