You should consider from whose
hand it has been sent to you by James Buchanan from Comfort
in Affliction 1837 in the day of prosperity be happy
but in the day of adversity consider God has made the one as well
as the other Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 14 In the day of adversity you should
consider from whose hand it has been sent to you. It comes direct
from the hand of God. Intermediate agencies may have
been employed in inflicting it. A cherished family member may
have been the messenger of disease. A treacherous friend may have
been the cause of bankruptcy. An avowed enemy may have been
the author of reproach and shame. Satan himself may have been allowed
to smite you but through whatever secondary agency it may have
been conveyed adversity comes from God's hand I form the light
and create darkness I make peace and create evil I the Lord do
all these things Isaiah chapter 45 verse 7 Is it not from the mouth of the
Most High that both calamities and good things come? Lamentations
3.38 Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we
not receive evil? Job 2.10 Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who
gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I the Lord? Exodus chapter 4 verse 11 see
now that I myself am he there is no God besides me I put to
death and I bring to life I have wounded and I will heal and no
one can deliver out of my hand Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse
39 The Lord brings death and makes
alive. He brings down to the grave and
raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth. He humbles and He exalts. 1 Samuel 2 6-7 this is what the Lord says as
I have brought all this great calamity on this people Jeremiah
chapter 32 verse 42 when disaster comes to a city has not the Lord
caused it? Amos chapter 3 verse 6 For he
wounds, but he also binds up. He injures, but his hands also
heal. Job 5.18 From these and many
other passages it is plain that temporal affliction is ascribed
to God in the Holy Scriptures. No one who acknowledges God's
providence at all can fail to believe that the numerous afflictions
and calamities of human life are permitted, appointed, and
overruled by the Supreme Governor of the world. This is a consideration
of great practical importance, and should be seriously weighed
in the day of adversity. It assures us that our afflictions
are neither imposed by a fatal necessity, nor produced by the
uncertain vicissitudes of chance, but come forth from the hand
of one who is infinitely wise and just and good. It also teaches
us, in many of our afflictions, and those which it is indeed
most difficult to bear, to look beyond, and to rise above, the
consideration of the mere human agency by which they have been
inflicted. I refer to such afflictions as
are brought on us through the malice of our fellow men, in
regard to which we are too apt to alone consider the secondary
agency through which they fall upon us, instead of steadily
contemplating God as addressing to us, through human agency,
the warnings and lessons which we need to learn and improve. Whereas, did we consider all
afflictions of whatever kind as emanating from the unerring
heart of our loving Father, we would find that even those which
the hand or the tongue of man inflicts are the wholesome discipline
and means of spiritual improvement. Let us remember then that every
affliction through whatever channel it may flow comes to us ultimately
from God's loving hand.