When Affliction Reveals God’s Grace

3. My eyes should be set on God’s steadfast love.

For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
and I walk in your faithfulness.
(Psalm 26:3)

The confidence that I have before God is neither in my character, nor my conduct. I can lift my head toward God in heaven because he loves me. The Worthy unfailingly loves the unworthy. And this love is steadfast and eternal. I must fix my eyes on this truth that I might walk in his faithfulness, and not in my own perceived strengths.

4. My eyes should be set on his Word.

Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
(Psalm 119:18)

Both the world and my own understanding can easily lead me away from what is true. To see life as it really is, myself as I really am, and God as he always is, I must look intently at his Word. And not only must I look to his divine revelation, but I must also ask God for the grace to truly comprehend, embrace and experience the truths he has made known. I am this weak. Without God’s Word and Spirit I am an ignorant fool. But God is that gracious and merciful, that he condescends to give us what we need, yet do not deserve.

5. My eyes should be fixed on fixed on Christ.

… let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
(Heb. 12:1, 2)

To “run with endurance” is to continue living by faith in passion and power that can only be found in Christ. He is the beginning and the end of our faith. He is the assurance that I will endure. He is the assurance that I will win. To fix my eyes on Jesus means that I must dwell on his life, death, resurrection and future return as the hope of sinners — especially me. He walked through shame on my behalf. He endured suffering and death for my sins. He rose in triumph over death. Through all of his afflictions, his eyes were set on the joy and glory set before him. I can do no better than look to Him for everything I need in the midst of any difficulty.

6. God sees.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.
(2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV)

We all know that God “sees” all. But God not only sees, he “searches” and “knows” his people. He knows me, my afflictions, my weaknesses and my needs. And his grace abounds in those of faith. The more I depend on him the more strength I will find to do what he has called me to do.

My eye problem is relatively minor. But I see it as a painful providence that God will use for my sanctification. Through our afflictions we should always be brought to hate sin (especially our sin) and its effects, while looking to Christ, delighting in his ways, and maintaining confidence that he sees and supports those who are his own.

Afflictions are as needful as ordinances (1 Peter 1:6). No vessel can be made of gold without fire; so it is impossible that we should be made vessels of honour, unless we are melted and refined in the furnace of affliction. “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth” (Psalm 25:10). As the painter intermixes bright colours with dark shadows; so the wise God mixes mercy with judgment. Those afflictive providences which seem to be prejudicial are beneficial.

— Thomas Watson, All Things for Good