Growth Through Pain 苦难促进成长

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Dexu Xia

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Dec 3, 2025, 3:27:30 PM12/3/25

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It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. Psalm 119:71

Today's Scripture Psalm119:65-72

Today's Insights

Psalm 119 is an extended song/poem about the beauty of the law even in hard times. In today’s text (vv. 65-72), the psalmist uses a variety of terms to describe the law, including “word,” “commands,” “decrees,” “precepts,” and “law.” These ideas are intensely personal for him, for he speaks from his experiences of pain. He uses terms like “afflicted” (vv. 67, 71) and “smeared . . . with lies” (v. 69) to cry out to God‚ grateful for all he’d learned from those seasons of struggle. In spite of his afflictions and mistreatment, however, he concludes in verse 68, “You are good, and what you do is good.” In a broken world filled with hatred and pain, we too can rest in the never-failing goodness of God. He uses all things, even our trials, for our spiritual growth and to conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus

Today's Devotional

The brain is remarkably small, but stress can make it even smaller. Recent research has revealed that cumulative stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions, impulses, and social interactions. This shrinkage is linked to anxiety and depression, highlighting the toll that a lifetime of stress can take. But there’s good news—the brain’s plasticity allows it to heal through intentional practices like exercise, meditation, and meaningful relationships.

The psalmist in Psalm 119 understood this idea of growth and healing after facing stress and hardship: “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (v. 71). Affliction, though painful, became the psalmist’s teacher—taking us from being “astray” from God to choosing to “obey [His] word” (v. 67). The psalmist expresses gratitude for his bitter medicine and God’s goodness (v. 68). While he understood that affliction and suffering could diminish him, he trusted God to use those experiences to refine and restore him (v. 66).

Like our brains, our spirits are capable of being stretched. God uses this stretching to cause growth and renewal. Through Scripture, prayer, and a Spirit-inspired perspective, He can reverse the effects of our hardships. He can use our afflictions for our spiritual growth, transforming pain into purpose.

Reflect & Pray

How has God helped you grow in faith through suffering? How have you embraced gratitude?

Loving God, thank You for teaching me through my trials.

By Marvin Williams

“我受苦难是有益的，为要使我学习你的律例。”（诗篇 119:71）

今日经文：诗篇 119篇65-72节

今日洞见：诗篇 119 篇是一首篇幅较长的诗歌，它歌颂律法，即使在艰难困苦中也能彰显其美好。在今天的经文（65-72 节）中，诗人运用了多种词语来描述律法，包括“话语”、“诫命”、“律例”、“训词”和“律法”。这些词语对他而言意义非凡，因为这些是他在经历苦难后阐述的感悟。他用“受苦”（67、71 节）和“被谎言玷污”（69 节）等词语向上帝呼求，感谢上帝使他从那些挣扎的岁月中学到这一切。尽管他饱受苦难和虐待，但在第68节他仍然总结道：“你是良善的，你所行的也是良善的。”

在这个充满仇恨和痛苦的破碎世界里，我们也能安息在上帝永不改变的良善之中。祂利用万事万物，甚至包括我们的试炼，来促进我们的灵性成长，使我们更像祂的儿子耶稣。

今日灵修大脑本身就非常小，而压力会让它变得更小。最近的研究表明，累积的压力会导致前额叶皮层萎缩，而前额叶皮层是大脑中负责管理情绪、冲动和社交互动的部分。这种萎缩与焦虑和抑郁有关，凸显了终生压力对大脑造成的损害。但好消息是，大脑具有可塑性，通过对大脑有意识的操练，例如锻炼、进修和建立有意义的人际关系，可以修复因压力造成的大脑萎缩。

诗篇119篇的作者在经历压力和苦难后，领悟到成长和医治的真谛：“我受苦是与我有益，为要使我学习你的律例”（71节）。苦难虽然痛苦，却成了诗人的老师，因为苦难能引领我们从“远离”上帝到选择“顺服祂的话语”（67节）。诗人对苦难和上帝的恩典表达了感恩（68节）。他明白苦难和痛苦会使他软弱，但他相信上帝会利用这些经历来磨练和更新他（66节）。

如同我们的大脑一样，我们的灵性也能够被拓展。上帝利用这种拓展使我们成长和更新。通过圣经、祷告和圣灵的引导，祂可以扭转苦难带来的负面影响，并可以利用我们的苦难来促进我们的灵性成长，将痛苦转化为积极的成长。

反思与祷告上帝是如何帮助你，使你的信心在苦难中成长的？你又是如何培养自己对上帝的感恩之心的？慈爱的上帝，感谢您使我在试炼中受教。