6/12 Strength for today

Moved by Afflictions 1 Thessalonians 3:3 “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.” Whenever there is movement, there is action or change. Being moved could mean that someone was motivated to do something. Likewise, being moved could mean that someone changed their position. I often say that you need to know what moves you, for there will be times in your life when you will need to manually move yourself to do right. One thing that can move us is affliction. Nobody enjoys it when affliction comes their way, but most people can look back at affliction and see that it was the tool God used to get them to move. However, just as much as affliction can be used to move you to do right, it can also move you to do wrong. Whatever you do, you must use your affliction to move you to do right. Let me show you three areas where affliction can move you. First, affliction can move you from where you once stood. You will notice that the verse above did not say that afflictions caused them to quit, but they caused them to move. If we are not careful, we can become so tired of affliction that we change our stance on right and wrong. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 warns, “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” You can get to the point where you become weary in doing right because of affliction, but you must not allow affliction to move you from where you once stood. A person recently asked me if I had ever felt like I had given everything that I could give. This person had experienced many hardships, and they were enduring another hardship when they asked me that question. Though this person was a good person, affliction was trying to move them to change. Christian, don’t become so weary with affliction that you allow it to change your stance on right and wrong. Changing your stance will not make the afflictions better, instead it will make them worse. Decide when afflictions come that you will never allow them to change where you stand on right and wrong. Second, afflictions can move you to self-examination. When afflictions come your way, you should allow them to move you to examine yourself to see if there is some sin that needs to be removed. God will use affliction as a tool to purify His children. You also should let affliction move you to examine if you need to change something in your life. God will sometimes use affliction to reveal your weaknesses so you can work on them. Weaknesses are revealed through pressure. When affliction reveals the cracks in your Christian life, then let that move you to strengthen that area. Finally, afflictions can move you to do more right. Always allow afflictions to motivate you to do something more for God. I have found that I have stepped up in more areas when going through affliction. My reasoning for this is that I am not going to let the Devil get the best of me through my affliction. Whenever you are faced with affliction, let it be the motivating tool that causes you to do more right for God. Affliction will move you. You can either let it move you to compromise and eventually quit on God, or can use affliction as a positive tool in your life to become a better Christian. It is your choice, but let me encourage you to let affliction move you to do greater things for Christ.