# 308 The Afflictions of God

The Book of Genesis

Day 308

Ge 32:24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.  25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him.  26 And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!"  27 So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob."  28 And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed."  29 Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there.  30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."  31 Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.

Can you imagine the pain of a hip socket out of joint? It must’ve been very excruciating, yet Jacob hung on! The injury was bad enough and long-lasting enough that at sunrise, Jacob limped back across the river. Let this sink in, Jacob was physically hurt by the Angel of the Lord, by God Himself! Sometimes we get this notion that God never inflicts pain on anyone, well, that simply is not true.  

God Can and WILL afflict people if it suits His eternal purpose of good. The problem we have with this arrangement is we tend to over-analyze our afflictions. We start asking questions like, “What have I done that God is punishing me so?” Or worse, we shoot a dagger at the afflicted and say something like, “Well you must’ve sinned.”

If you want to ask a question, let it be something like, “I wonder how God will be glorified in this affliction?”

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord love, He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Heb 12:5,6)

The words, “chastened and rebuked” here do not necessarily include the idea of physical punishment. They are words that are associated with  training and correction, but the word “scourged” leaves no room for doubt. God flogs every son whom He receives when they need it! The implication here is God afflicts His children only for their own good.

In hindsight, we can see that Jacob needed to understand that God could’ve vanquished him at any moment. Jacob needed to be humbled! It was for his own good as he was about to take on the responsibility of being the father of the twelve tribes of Israel. Maybe that’s what we need to learn from our own afflictions as well…..humility and a deeper understanding of God’s all-sufficient grace.

He has a goal, an ultimate plan for you and I. Sometimes that plan is worked out through affliction.  

The pain in your life right now, may be as excruciating as an out of joint hip socket in a wrestling match, bear it my friend, for God will use it and bring it to ultimate good.