AFFLICTIONS
These light and momentary afflictions
–Sorrows, losses, tears, addictions—
Are earning for us an eternal weight of glory
–Hold on darling, it’s not the end of the story—
The path of the pilgrim is hard and long
Rocks and stones and demons strong
Narrow is the gate and difficult the way
The road winds upward day after day.
Always moving you travel on
Keep the faith your daily song
Through much tribulation the kingdom to gain
You cling to the King and His invisible reign.
Sojourner, alien, stranger in tents
No place to settle, no firm residence
The world dead to you, you dead to the world
Trading in all for one priceless Pearl.
Still filling up the afflictions of Christ
Whose sufferings paid fully the highest price
Looking up to the depth of Golgotha’s pain
You find grace to carry your own cross again.
Do not be surprised at these fiery trials
One after the other for many long miles
Remember the martyrs and saints gone before
You also will make it to heaven’s glad door.
Rapture or death—each one is a door
When He says ‘It is finished’ your last day is o’er
They are numbered—you cannot outlast your grace
Sufficient for every heartbreak you face.
The fire that is burning your soul does reveal
That His eyes of flame are upon you in zeal
Igniting all wood, hay and straw into smoke
Faithful His chastening, faithful His stroke.
Be cheered that He won’t take His eyes off of you
Count it all joy when you weep as you do
The tears that you sow are all kept by Him
A crop they will grow—full to the brim.
The gifts of the Wise Men included myrrh
Your suffering is to Him a precious gift pure
He above all is familiar with grief
You’ll have much in common when Him you meet.
When you follow Him you can’t lose your way
His footprints are bloodstained, marking the way
Think of the crown you earn on this street
You’ll want something of value to lay at His feet.
You don’t have to like it nor fix it nor understand
You do have to trust under His mighty Hand
That when all is over, the final war won
You will not regret the work pain has done.
by Kristen Sykes
These thoughts were drawn from the following passages of Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16–18; Hebrews 11:39–40; Psalm 84:5-7; Matthew 7:13–14; 2 Timothy 4:7; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 11:13, 10; Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 6:14; Matthew 13:45–46; Colossians 1:24; Luke 14:27; 1 Peter 4:12; Hebrews 12:22–24; John 19:30; Psalm 139:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 1:14; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Hebrews 12:5-11; James 1:2-4; Psalm 126:5–6; Psalm 56:8; Mark 4:8; Matthew 2:11; Isaiah 53:3; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 2:21; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 4:10; Job 13:15; 1 Peter 1:6–9