The Suffering Of Afflictionনমুনা

Paul And Heman

In this second look at biblical characters who have suffered through afflictions, we will look at Paul, whose affliction was described as a “thorn in the flesh”, and Heman, an Old Testament character in the Psalms who painfully describes his affliction. As with Peter and David previously, we will see both a reason for the suffering and a response to the suffering.

In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, he shares that he has been given a thorn in the flesh from Satan. Many scholars have speculated because Paul does not describe what this is. It could have been bad eyesight, epilepsy, a limp, or a wide array of diseases, but it appears to have been both physical and never-ending. Have you ever experienced some physical ailment that never seems to go away? Perhaps Satan’s reason for afflicting Paul was to make him angry with God for not removing this malady, but God seems to have allowed this to strengthen Paul’s dependence upon Christ. He says that he is glad to boast in his weakness so that Christ’s power will work through him. You see, the strong are tempted to lean on their own strength but the weak have only one place to go – to the strength of Christ. 

Heman, on the other hand, shares his situation in a Psalm entitled “The Suffering of Affliction.” In this Psalm, there is not one word of thanksgiving or hope. In fact, the description in Hebrew is a place of darkness where all hope, dreams, and faith is buried. Yet, though Heman feels as if God has turned His back on him, Heman does not turn his back on God, in fact, he cries out to God for an answer. What we learn from Heman is that God develops in us the incredible character of patience by being with us through suffering. God’s goal is not our comfort, it is our character. 

And our character is formed in the furnace of affliction - no suffering, no character. Recognize that in this place of suffering there is a lot of praying, and tossing, and turning, and questions, and tears. But as David said in one of his Psalms, “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes in the morning.” How do we get the joy? By patiently waiting for it.