Afflicted but not Crushed

 “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. . . “ 2 Corinthians 4: 8, 9.

This passage doesn’t just apply to the Apostle Paul and his companions on their missionary journeys. It applies to all true believers. The Christian, the Righteous, the one who walks in the Spirit if often “afflicted in every way”. He is frequently perplexed, persecuted and struck down.

But never crushed, in despair, forsaken or destroyed.

To read the passage for context, click here.

Same Rain, Same Floods, Same Winds

I believe the righteous go through the same storms and trials as the wicked. The difference lies in the outcome. The house built on the rock endures the same storm as the one built on the sand. They weather the same rain, same floods, same wind “beat against that house”.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it “Mathew 7: 24-27.

Afflicted But Not Crushed. . . The Difference Is in the Outcome

The only difference in the outcome. The house built on the sand is demolished by the storm. Whereas the house built on the rock withstands it. Proverbs 24: 16 tells us “The righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity”.

The implication seems to be that both the righteous and wicked experience calamity, but the righteous rise again and the wicked don’t.

Afflicted but Not Crushed. . . And Never Abandoned

These verses spoken by Paul in our text echo the same idea. The righteous are hard pressed. But not to the point of being crushed. They are perplexed but not to the point of despair. They are persecuted but never abandoned by God.

And they are struck down but “rise again” according to Proverbs 24: 16. The wicked, or those who stubbornly sow to the flesh, whether Christian or not are eventually crushed. They are struck down and stay there. This is what it means to “stumble in time of calamity”.

The trials of the righteous are often the result of being righteous. The consequence of resisting temptation and walking in the Spirit. These trials ultimately lead to completion, maturity and life.

We Cannot Benefit from Trials Without Faith

The trials of the wicked ultimately lead to greater immaturity, corruption, and death. Because you need faith to benefit from trials. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” Psalm 34: 19. Conversely, “Many are the sorrows of the wicked. . . ” Psalm 32: 10.

For the wicked, their afflictions become sorrows, partly because they have no Deliverer- either because they don’t believe in Him, or because they don’t really trust Him though they may claim to.

To read another post related to see Endurance and Perfection in the Bible: The Link.