Read The Two Different Outcomes of Affliction, by Mark Altrogge, at Bible Study Tools
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. 20 He keeps all his bones, Not one of them is broken. 21 Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
Psalm 34:19-21
"Affliction strikes both believers and unbelievers. Tsunamis and tornadoes don’t bypass church buildings. Believers aren’t immune from cancer or car wrecks. You can’t point to someone in a wheelchair and assume they’re an unbeliever. In fact, Christians are promised afflictions, and plenty of them. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” "
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.
Isaiah 43:2
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
1 Peter 4:12
"But the outcome of afflictions is different for believers and unbelievers."
"But afflictions have a different effect on believers. “The Lord delivers him out of them all.” Our afflictions don’t slay us. They don’t kill our souls or our joy or our love for Jesus. They don’t slay our faith. In the past 38 years of being a Christian I’ve seen numerous believers endure horrific trials, yet still proclaim, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” I’ve seen saints consumed by cancer, hobbled by accidents, crippled by Lou Gehrig’s disease, and my own mother debilitated by Alzheimer’s, yet joyfully loving Jesus till their bodies or minds gave out."
Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
Psalm 34:21
"Rather than slaying the righteous, our afflictions make us more like Christ, draw us near to him, make us more humble and dependent on him. They produce character and perseverance. Our afflictions don’t slay our love for Jesus, but deepen it. They don’t sour us; they make us sweeter."
...and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.
John 10:28
...and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4
"Affliction will slay the wicked. But for us who have trusted him, Jesus will keep us till the day he slays affliction and crushes death beneath his feet."
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