Affliction? What Affliction?

Have the slightest inconvenience and we are heard to speak out and be outraged at the injustice.  Drive to slow in front of me, cause me extra work, make a mess for me to clean up, cost me more money than I think I ought to put out.  These great "afflictions" have been known to illicit reactions from me ranging from mock outrage, to frustrated acclimation, to outright anger.

But nothing I experience comes anywhere in the vicinity of the affliction that Christ faced.  His affliction was to be abandoned at the height of perfect suffering, both physically and spiritually, by one whose comfort and relationship he had existed in from before  time itself had been created.  He endured beating and torture few men lived through and the weight of the world's sin had blemished his eternally perfect self and now he was alone.  In spite of this we find that "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth" Isa 53:7 (NIV).

I know not affliction on any real level.  For the most part our afflictions are slight inconveniences.  At least they are, if you value things that cannot be seen over things that we can grasp hold of only for a moment.  In truth if we take a Biblical view of our sufferings and troubles we quickly find they are opportunities to grow, minister, share, and develop character.

In the previos chapter to his description of Christ's demeanor in his suffering Isaiah, the prophet, proclaims that we should "Burst into songs of joy" in the midst of our ruin(52:9) because our God is redeeming us.  Our ruin is also our salvation!

Affliction? What affliction is this that points to a salvation that is available no where else, in no one else and not by the work of our own hands.  We have no affliction no true affliction at all, except the stubbornness of our souls that pridefully clings to our afflictions as problems and our 'ability' to overcome them on our own.