"All the days of the afflicted are evil..."

"All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:15)

The first time I encountered the above passage, I tried to reflect on many other alternate meanings there could be asides from what comes to mind at first glance. But there's no getting away from the obvious: your life is shaped by your perspective. 

The interesting thing about affliction is that it is typically no respecter of persons. Young or old, rich or poor, healthy or sick - it is an equal opportunity offender. It takes different forms: financial, spiritual, mental, physical, the list goes on. There are the severe, life-threatening types, and the garden-variety types that show up as daily or weekly inconveniences. But there is a flavor of affliction for every kind of person: many fall into the thinking trap that there's a level of wealth or security that guarantees an affliction-free existence. That simply doesn't happen: it's one of the consequences of living in a fallen world ("In this world you will have trouble, but take heart: I [Jesus] have overcome the world" - John 16:33).

The opening verse is not so much a debate on whether afflictions come or not: it's a perspective of how one chooses to view and live life. Are you your joy, or your struggles? Is the summary of your life's story the things that are going well for you, or the things that aren't going well? Another thinking trap is believing that having all the desired wealth or power or access automatically makes for a happy existence. So it's easy to get sucked into thinking patterns like "What's there to be excited about when I have these many needs?", "When I get money, I'll be happy", etc. and in a sense postpone your joy or make it conditional on your attaining a level of wealth or success. Joy is a choice: If you don't know how to find joy in times of lack it will be a struggle to stay happy in times of abundance. 

Life will give you as many explanations as you want to the challenging circumstances you are going through. Your village people. Your enemies. Your ancestors and the curses they attracted to your bloodline. Your misfortune of not being born into a rich or privileged family. Your lack of access to power. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. Affliction is that feeling of being done in by a force external to you and outside your control. "Aye n'se mi" for the Yoruba speakers. A sense of feeling afflicted is quickly paired with a sense of hopelessness. A feeling that no effort taken can be enough to overcome the current trials. A sense of foreboding even when the trouble lifts, that another trial is around the corner. A general sense of dissatisfaction with life due to the helplessness of not being able to control the course of one's destiny. This is what makes all the days of the afflicted "evil".

The beauty of the life in Christ is that we are offered a better alternative. Jesus let us know that He came that we may have life, and it more abundantly (John 10:10). The abundant life journey starts from the inside and works its way out. It starts from the assurance of being loved by the most powerful Entity in existence, a love so great that He spared not His only begotten Son to redeem you (John 3:16, Romans 8:32). It extends from that assurance to a confidence that He is able to keep you standing in Him (1 Peter 1:3-5) and secure through whatever life may bring, and that He will never let you bear a temptation that's too heavy for you (1 Corinthians 10:13). Reflecting on just these few - a tip of the iceberg of the riches in glory that our Lord has granted us access to - we can afford to live an abundance-oriented vs an afflicted-oriented existence.

We can choose to live with a merry heart. To wake every day and say “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118: 24). To bask in the compassion of the Lord, in His mercies that are "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23). To take every care, every burden and cast it on the Lord, for "He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). To choose to "be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, with by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6-7). To boldly face every situation of lack and declare "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1). To be encouraged that "all things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). 

It is a daily choice - to mentally climb to victory, or mentally slide to victimhood. It is an active effort: to overlook the rejections, the refusals, the reproach and all that makes for an afflicted existence and decide to rejoice in the Lord, to find the joys in each day and dwell on them instead. May the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18