Coping With Afflictions and Distresses Coping With Afflictions and Distresses Coping With Afflictions and Distresses

• Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: - I Thessalonians 3:7

Life is imperfect, and, we are fickle. Our bodies and our minds have deficiencies. As such, it is the lot of every person to experience affliction and distress in life. (Job 14:1; Philippians 1:29)  It may come later rather than sooner but it is inevitable. Very seldom we barely make it through a day without hearing of someone we know who has been stricken--their lives robbed of strength and joy by these two unwanted thieves. Likely, you are reading this because it is your life they have struck and turned upside down. Just yesterday, life was full of joy, hope and expectations. For the moment, it seemed good, and then...

And then, possibly a visit to the doctor's office results in hearing something totally unexpected. It comes by way of learning the results of a simple routine checkup. You sit devastated by the news--maybe alone without the comfort and support of someone close. You feel helpless--frozen. The room appears to darken. Sounds seem distorted. The doctor's words become slow and muffled. Moments pass as though eternity has slowed them. Nothing has prepared you for this.

Finally, after recovering from the flash of your whole life, you question if it can be true. It is. Then come the questions: what do I say, ask?; what do I do, now and going forward?; how do I tell those important to me--my wife, my husband, my children, etc.? And not the least of these are the questions: how is my life going to change and how do I live knowing what I have just learned or happened?

Or, it may be a distress rather than a physical condition, not that afflictions aren't distressful. This may take the form of one of many possibilities. For example, most of us have experienced a friend's betrayal. The sting penetrates deeply. There is no medicine, no doctor, no pill that will alleviate the mental pain, a pain that touches the depth of your soul. Your world is rocked!

It could be something you recognize within yourself that is not as fully as you desire it to be. It could be something only you know. You guard its secrecy. You fear it may be discovered. You try to compensate. You struggle under its ever-increasing demands. You live under great distress, wishing, hoping, longing and, yes, even praying something would take the distress away--to be set free!

Still another may come through discovering someone in your profession or work is trying to undermine your abilities, your authority, your position. You are uncertain how to approach and resolve this. You keep it to yourself, bearing the burden alone. There is much wringing of the hands, many nights spent tossing and turning. Your very livelihood is threatened. You see no way clear of it. You wish someone would come to your aid--reach out to help. But there is no one.

Another possibility is as a parent you have learned your child has been diagnosed with a devastating disease, mental deficiency or learning disability. It could be a trait that stands out among his or her peers, opening them up to bullying and ridicule. You search for answers, aid, support, strength. Your heart breaks. In the mornings you put on a strong face. At night, you are relieved to lay it aside for a few sleepless private hours even though you know they will be filled with tears.

As you can guess, there are all manner of traumatizing possibilities of afflictions and distresses that are common to us all. We could continue but the list is endless. You need no one to identify yours for you--the one you may be staggering under just now. You know it all too well! It robs your peace and sleep at night. It greets you each and every morning. And, you may be bearing it alone. You wish someone did know, someone you could trust, someone who would support and comfort you in a way that would not be more traumatizing--who would not add to your burden.

Our above text is but one instance Paul reveals how much he enjoyed, needed and relied on his relationship and friendship with others. He received great consolation from their company. By his example, we see how essential to overcoming is a life shared with others. You must allow them. Study after study clearly shows that a life lived in company with others is, on average, a longer and healthier life. Ask yourself, who is it in your life you have allowed to know you as you desire to be known? It will be these who most likely will desire most to come to your side. Let them.

Paul not only was comforted by the company of those close to him in life, he also was greatly encouraged by their continued walk in the faith in which he established them. Many were the false teachers of Paul's day who would come behind him and frustrate his work, causing all manner of problems within the churches he founded. The people of Thessalonica were faithful.

Surely there is someone in your life you have been instrumental in influencing, guiding or aiding that made a distinct difference in their life. These are always a good source to revisit for renewal of both yourself and them. Chances are your acts of love and sacrifice for them have never been forgotten. Take encouragement from seeing the fruit God produced in their lives through your dedicated service. Don't hesitate to call on them, even soliciting their prayers for your current state in Christ if possible.

It is without question Paul suffered many afflictions and distresses. He was persecuted almost every where he visited. But through it all, he was content. (Philippians 4:11)   He trusted that God's strength would be perfected in his weaknesses, His grace sufficient in his afflictions. (II Corinthians 12:9-10)  Of all his accomplishments in his life, He sought above all else only to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians 3:10)  Because Christ overcame, he knew his victory was intricately and intimately bound to His victory! All battles had been fought and won. Though he may walk wounded in the procession following the battle, he overcame because His master led to victory! (Romans 8:37; Philippians 4:13; II Corinthians 9:12)

To summarize. if you are struggling with afflictions and distresses and you have good friends in the faith, consider yourself much blessed. If you love God's Word, turn to it for healing. It is a rewarding and consoling thing to take the time to do a search and study of the many occurrences of just the two words: afflicted and afflictions. It is rich and most helpful. For this, I would recommend Strong's Bible Concordance or for a quick find just type the words into our own Bible Search.

The power of His Word and the consolation of a dear friend will lessen the sting of your affliction and help give relief to your distresses. It is seen time and again in the lives of people, Satan can wreak the most havoc in isolation. Ask Eve in the garden. It is clear she was alone when Satan slithered to her side with his poison--disputing God's Word.

I will leave you with one final thought in which I hope you will find great comfort. It is affirmative! It is consoling! It is a bedrock you can easily learn and incorporate into your daily defenses against what ever life may throw at you. It is sufficient. The knowledge of what you are about to read is powerful, able to lift any from their beds of afflictions or darkness of distresses. You may still walk through the valley of the shadow of death but you know you will not walk alone. And at your journey's end, well, there awaits a table set by our Lord Himself. Now, isn't that something to dwell upon?! Read, and let His words come alive, filling the very marrow of your bones, the depth of your hearts--your soul's yearning.