Good through Sorrow
by Sarah Wootten Corinth Missonary Baptist Church
“Anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly,” (William S. Plumer).
This sentence from Plumer’s commentary on Psalm 30 caught my eye. David experienced difficult discipline from the Lord that left him almost dead. Through God’s blessings, David had prospered in life; however, David grew to believe that he was unmovable. Therefore, God loved David by showing him that he was dependent upon God for every breath. As David’s life was failing, he desperately called out to the Lord. God heard David’s prayer and healed David. Can it be true that David’s sorrowful experience was actually for his good? Let’s look at the passage and see the results of this discipline.
First, David praised God for His deliverance. His words of pride were transformed into words of rejoicing because God had saved him from death. If David had died, his body would have turned to dust, and he could no longer praise God in this life. Because God rescued him, he opened his mouth to boldly worship. But David didn’t praise God alone; he also called the saints to worship (v. 4). The worship that began with David permeated through many believers as David shared the miracle of God’s great deliverance.
Second, David experienced God’s character afresh. We all know that God is loving, forgiving, and faithful. But when God extends these characteristics toward us in deep and personal ways, our understanding of God grows exponentially. David was placed under the rebuke and anger of God for a season (v. 5). Can you imagine the guilt and pain he experienced, and then the overwhelming joy to know that God has not only forgiven him, but also restored him to life? That is an indescribable joy! David thought he knew of God’s lovingkindness before this discipline, but now, he knows it in an entirely new way.
Third, David’s mindset was radically changed as evidenced by his prayer. The psalm doesn’t use the word “repentance,” but it is implied. If David continued in his arrogance, he wouldn’t have cried out to God for help. A prideful person can’t pray to God sincerely. Prayer’s posture is humility before the sovereign God. David’s affliction rekindled a sense of desperation upon God; therefore, he found himself in sincere prayer.
Can we rightfully claim that David’s situation turned out for good? Absolutely, in every possible way. So, does Plumer’s statement hold true in other Bible passages? I thought of Daniel when he was told to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream. Daniel and his friends prayed until God told them the dream and its meaning. Their lives were spared (Daniel 2). Or how about Stephen, whose last words were a prayer that God wouldn’t hold the sin of murder against his persecutors, one of whom was the Apostle Paul (Acts 7-8:1).
I’ve never heard anyone say they regret the time they spent in prayer. It’s in prayer that we often see God reveal sin to us, correct sin in us, and watch Him work all around us. For these reasons and the promise of Romans 8, we can say “Anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly.” I wrote a poem to ponder difficult situations where people were driven to prayer. A shortened version of it is below. My prayer is that God would be glorified as we believers meditate on how He has been faithful to His children during our most difficult days and that we would grow in running to Him in earnest prayer in all things.
When God’s discipline brings us pain and our hearts are filled with grief, anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly.
When danger surrounds us on all sides and our only options bring us death,anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly.
When a friendship is shattered and reconciliation appears impossible, anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly.
Anything is good for us that puts us to praying earnestly. Why?
For it is then when we depend on God and know all praise belongs to Him.
