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No one likes being afflicted. No one likes having a bad time or going through difficulty. But God uses those to help us. If we never had anything bad happen to us, what would we learn? We’d be spoiled children.

In Psalm 119 we find the writer saying in some verses that having difficult, humbling things happen is useful. Sometimes God uses those difficulties to correct us (Psalm 119: 67). Sometimes He uses them to teach and show us something, either new or forgotten (Psalm 119:71). But no matter what He uses these things for, the intention and result are always good for us because God loves us and is faithful (Psalm 119:75).

The apostle Paul also had some problems in life. In 2 Corinthians 12:7 he talks about one of these problems. He wasn’t specific about what the problem was, but we know it was very serious. He asked God three times to take it away, but God left it there to help Paul learn something wonderful and important (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). So now we can read about it and be encouraged.

We have even more confirmation in Scripture that going through difficulties can be good. In Romans 8:28-39 we find that God knows what’s going on and that His love for us is so strong and sure that everything will be all right in time. When you let God be God in your life, even the harsh things can be some of the best things that ever happened to you.