Deliverance by Discomfort

An Old Testament gem shines forth in the book of Job, chapter 36, verse 15:

"He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity."

The young Elihu is delivering his pitch of wisdom to Job before God Himself winds up the entire dialog. This solid-gold verse tells us that God uses difficulties and miseries to deliver His own from their misery. That is, God, who is sovereign over all the circumstances of life, will bring affliction into the life of those in whom He is working so that they will CRY out to Him for deliverance. In this crying out for deliverance is the salvation of the crier.

But not everyone responds to God-sent affliction in that way. Listen to Elihu again: "The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when He binds them. They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes." vv.13,14.

How do YOU respond to the difficulties that God sends?

Now, to be sure, the difficulties we experience may be a direct consequence of our sin. But even then, the misery that comes is controlled and shaped by God. What is important is that we see God's hand in it and God's mercy in our misery. HE alone knows what will touch us most deeply with the awareness of our weakness and sinfulness.

And what then? If we respond to misery by crying out to God for deliverance, Elihu tells us, "He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness." v.16.

Living in a "broad place" where there is no cramping of spirit and heart and devotion and godly choices, where there is spiritual and mental fatness - abundance. Where does it come from? Affliction, misery, adversity. But only as we respond to these things with a godward cry.

May we see HIS hand in the difficulties and may we cry with our whole miserable heart for His intervention. HE promises to come to our aid and take us into a broad place.