'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 23

Why does God keep some of his people so long under the discipline of the rod? Truly, God does not only bring his children into the school of affliction, but many times he keeps them there a long time. Affliction can lie a long time, for months, for years, or for many years together. The Jews were seventy years in the house of correction at Babylon, and four hundred years in Egypt. History and experience could serve us with instances without number. Thus, you have the people of God often declaring their 'how longs' in their sufferings (Psa. 13:1-2). Verily, God keeps his people sometimes so long under their pressures, that they begin at length even to give themselves up to despair and to conclude that they shall never see deliverance. When deliverance draws near they cannot believe it: ‘When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream' (Psa. 126:1). When Peter was delivered, he did not know whether it was a dream or reality (Acts 12:9). What is the reason that God allows affliction to lie so long upon the backs of his children? Truly, one reason is because they have been a long time in sinning, and therefore God is a long time in correcting. God puts them in their 'how longs' because they have put God to his 'how longs' (Exod. 16:28). Another reason is that God's work is not yet done. A lesson learned would cause the affliction to quickly cease. God does not draw one drop more than he needs (1 Pet. 1:6), and does not afflict willingly (Lam. 3:33). When the work is done, deliverance comes. We are not delivered until bettered. God opens the prison, and throws the rod into the fire when we are willing to cease from sinning: 'Teach me, Lord, how I have done wickedly, and I will do so no more.'

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Case, Select Works, A Treatise of Afflictions, pp. 131-135
Banner of Truth has granted permission for the use of this material.