“Why Difficulty Is Good”

(Psalm 119:65-72)

I. Introduction.

Anyone here going through difficulties?

Virtually all of us are.

Why? Are you being singled out? Is something strange happening to you?

No. This is often how the Lord teaches –

Not through easy times, but hard.

Point to even one person in Bible Lord used that didn’t have hard life.

Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, the Prophets, Peter, John, Paul, etc.

Even Jesus Himself, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the

things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:8).

This is how the Lord trains you –

That’s what psalmist says this evening –

When you go through difficult times,

Realize the Lord is the One who is bringing them,

And He means them for good.

II. Sermon.

A. First, realize God will bring difficulties.

1. What is the problem? The psalmist was being afflicted.

We’ve seen other indications psalmist was being persecuted.

“Take away reproach and contempt from me, for I observe Your testimonies”

(v. 22).

2

“Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your

statutes” (v. 23).

“May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Your salvation

according to Your word; so I will have an answer for him who reproaches

me, for I trust in Your word” (vv. 41-42).

He was under verbal attack.

What were they saying against him?

Don’t know specifically,

But generally, was object of most common kind of attack – a lie –

“The arrogant have forged a lie against me” (v. 69).

This something Satan loves to use:

Jesus says, “Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is

a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Uses because it’s so effective.

Who was bringing it?

Again, not specific,

But those who share the devil’s nature,

The proud/arrogant:

“The arrogant utterly deride me, yet I do not turn aside from Your law” (v. 51).

“The arrogant have forged a lie against me” (v. 69).

The wicked: “The cords of the wicked have encircled me, but I have not

forgotten Your law” (v. 61).

Psalmist characterizes them as having hearts covered with fat (v. 70).

In our mind, connotes heart disease.

3

In theirs, heart insulated/insensitive to God’s Law – a stony heart.

Could have been someone outside Israel, or within –

One with an uncircumcised heart, or even circumcised –

Certainly describes the world,

But sadly, even Christians can behave this way

Because of indwelling corruption –

Though we can’t continue in it.

Has someone in world lied about you?

Someone in the church?

If so, first remember:

Need to love enemies.

Go to them and seek repentance and reconciliation.

Have you been tempted?

Pray for greater strength and sensitivity to God’s Law –

That He would remove the remnants of fat from your heart,

And give you a healthy/spiritual heart.

Have you done this?

Seek their forgiveness and to undo the harm you’ve done to their reputation.

2. But was this purely their idea?

Were they alone in this?

4

No, this was from God.

He is sovereign.

He doesn’t afflict directly, but indirectly,

In this case, through men.

Think about Job:

Satan wanted to try him, but couldn’t without God’s permission.

Once he gained it,

He sent the Sabeans to kill his servants and take his oxen and donkeys (Job

1:15),

He sent fire to burn up Job’s sheep and servants (v. 16),

He sent the Chaldeans to take his camels and kill more servants (v. 17),

And he sent a great wind to knock down his son’s house so that all his children

died (vv. 18-19).

Yes, Satan did this.

The Sabeans and Chaldeans were responsible.

But it was from the Lord:

God was ultimately in control.

That’s why psalmist could say, “You have dealt well with Your servant, O

LORD, according to Your word” (v. 65).

This what God dealt to him.

When difficulties come, there’s more behind it than people/situations/things.

God is ultimately responsible.

He is doing this, but without sin.

5

B. Why would God do this to you?

Doesn’t He love you?

Yes, but that’s why He does.

The psalmist not only said, “You have dealt” this.

But, “You have dealt well.”

This is the Lord’s discipline/instruction.

“FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE

SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES” (Heb. 12:6).

In our call, “Blessed is the man whom You chasten, O Lord, and whom You teach

out of your law” (Psalm 94:12).

His discipline never punitive/retributive.

Always corrective, instructive, meant to teach something.

Ill: Parents teach children through duties/chores and discipline.

The Lord through duties and difficulties.

What good can come from difficulties?

Look at results:

It helped the psalmist keep the Law.

“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (v. 67).

We often grow indifferent, begin to compromise, go astray.

Affliction forces us back to God and His ways.

It woke him up, moved him to renewed whole-hearted obedience.

6

“With all my heart I will observe Your precepts” (v. 69).

It helped him to learn more of what God requires.

“It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (v. 71).

It taught him to delight in His Law.

“I delight in Your law” (v. 70).

And to value/treasure it as he should.

“The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces”

(v. 72).

Very often – though not always –

It’s when we stray that the Lord disciplines us.

When we see how we could have avoided the difficulty

It makes us appreciate the Lord’s ways even more –

Ill: Christian thought it was hard to walk on the straight path,

Until he got off it and into trouble,

Then he was happy to get back on the path.

There are still difficulties on the path of obedience,

But it’s better to encounter them on the path than off.

The difficulties teach us that God’s way is better.

Let’s not forget what we saw this morning as well –

Suffering is one of the ways we learn more of the Savior.

7

C. And so how should you respond to difficulty?

1. First, be thankful:

God’s discipline reminds you that you are His children.

“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what

son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without

discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate

children and not sons” (Heb. 12:7-8).

2. Second, pray that Lord would teach you through the difficulties.

“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your

commandments” (v. 66).

“You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes” (v. 68).

This is how He teaches.

It’s easier to endure, when know there’s a good purpose behind it.

Pray that He would show you what He’s teaching –

If it isn’t already obvious –

And then humble yourself and accept it.

3. Third, resist the temptation to resent, become angry, even bitter against those the

Lord uses.

Especially resist resenting God.

When Job lost everything, he knew it was God’s will,

But he didn’t accuse Him, but vindicated and blessed Him:

“He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return

there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name

8

of the LORD.’ Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God” (Job

1:21-22).

4. Finally, continue to love, hope, have faith, know He will work everything

together for good (Rom. 8:28).

This is how He trained His Son –

Consider the end:

“In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud

crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard

because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from

the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to

all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:7-9).

Be thankful He’s training you as well –

Because the end will be good. Amen.

http://www.graceopcmodesto.org