In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. —2 Corinthians 7:4
When our suffering goes on and on and on, it’s easy to lose heart. We need a perspective that will keep us going, that will keep us trusting the Lord.
The apostle Paul is a good example of someone who did just that. He suffered chronic, intense affliction in the form of beatings, imprisonments, riots, sleepless nights, and hunger. But Paul’s response to those afflictions was extraordinary: “In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” (2 Cor. 7:4). Paul didn’t say he was overflowing with joy after he got through his afflictions but that he was joyous in the midst of them.
If we could see our lives from God’s point of view, if we could see the big picture that God sees, we would realize this is the only reasonable way to think and live. Our heavenly Father is good, wise, and sovereign. He is loving, gracious, and merciful. He has a redemptive plan for this world and for our lives, and He is making all things new. He has a purpose for our thorns.
Make it Personal
Pray that God would give you a heart attitude like Paul—that you could be overflowing with joy in the midst of your afflictions.