Ever heard the term, “turn a positive out of a negative”? I have.  It is with this same sense that I write this blog I call, “The Beauty of Affliction.”   

Just think, without affliction, we may not have ever had our current USA President, Mr. Obama.  So moved by the distressed world conditions that it caused him to place his name on the presidential ballot.   Because of injustices and afflictions amongst classes of people, Dr. Martin Luther Luther King Jr. was provoked to civil rights work to help bring about equality.  Just think, without affliction the world may not ever have heard of a Helen Keller, nor would we have the diary of a young girl named Anne Frank.

Though unfortunate, it is at the expense of their affliction, pain, hurt, grief and distressing situations that caused great gains in varied ways on behalf of others. Without the afflictions and complexities surrounding the lives and circumstances of these individuals, chances are you may not be reading about them on this page today.

Additionally, scripture denotes another famous person who was a son of Jesse, named David, who drifted astray from the commands of his Heavenly Father.  But because his Father loved him so much, he used trouble to draw him back, close to himself. Yes, he allowed affliction to come upon David, one in whom he loved so much. God had a great plan for his life. In other words, there was a “big-picture.”

Scripture further tells us that at one point David (the King) wrote, “before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word.” Then just four verses down he adds, “it was good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your ways.” Now I tell ya, the affects of trouble doesn’t get more beautiful than this.

Psalm 119:67, 71

Jeremiah 29:11 “…thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you an expected end.”

Genesis: 41 Joseph moves from imprisonment to the palace

Linda Johnson Belfrey has 14-years of radio experience working in faith-based broadcast ministry including, JFM LIVE, www.jfmlive.com.  Additional media ministries include her cable market telecast, Reaching a People, by Any Means Necessary and A Word for You print news media inspirationals.

Email inquires to: Johnsonbelfrey@aol.com

Website:  www.ljbelfreyministries.com

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