Sometimes we fail to be honest and true to ourselves during times of affliction. We turn a blind eye to how our decisions, behaviour or actions could have opened a door to these afflictions. The Lord said in Psalms 32:2 “Blessed is the man who the Lord does not impute iniquity”; meaning that some of our decisions lead to the Lord’s chastisement as a Father who loves us.

He also taught us in Luke 17:1-2 that “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones”

Woe means great sorrow, distress or troubles. Jesus said “woe to him”; meaning great sorrow, distress or troubles should come to those who are the cause of offence. At times when these things come upon you, you must be honest with yourself and ask yourself what could it be that you have done; and normally you will realise that it comes as chastisement from the Lord. Righteousness teaches us not to be the cause of offence to anyone. It teaches us to love one another, because there is no offence nor law against the fruits of love. Righteousness is the fruit of the Inner Man, the Holy Spirit who the Lord says “He will remind us of all things that He has spoken to us”, He will lead us in all truth, He will teach us all things and that pertain to life and godliness. Righteousness is walking upright in the eyes of the Lord. There is no sin in walking upright, there is no law against walking upright, the is no woe to those who walk upright.

But instead of introspection during our time of affliction, we tend to find ourselves looking for external reasons, looking for people to blame, making assumptions about people that cause us to judge wrongly which is another offence in itself. We see ourselves as pure and having a right to say or do what we did and that someone deserves our judgement or condemnation. We forget that our righteousness is from God, therefore we do not need to prove it to God, but we need to exercise it in our relationship with our neighbour so that it glorifies God. But if we fail to do this; woe unto us.

“The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God” – (Ezekiel 14:12 – 14)

Be honest and truthful to yourself in times of affliction and accept the punishment for your sin. That is what mercy is, knowing that you deserve punishment for your unfaithfulness and unrighteousness, instead of just crying for mercy without acknowledging the reason for your chastisement.

# 2020 Let there Be light
# 2020 And there was light
# You are my light
# I am your Light
# We are the Light

T.W.Moagi