THE HUMILITY OF SUFFERING (2)                                      2 Kings 5:1-19

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. (v11)

Desperate times, however, call for desperate measures. Naaman humbled himself, went to his king (how he must have dreaded that audience!), and arrangements were made for an audience with the king of Israel (another embarrassment)

Yet more humiliation awaited. The Aramean general was instructed to go to the doorstep of Israel’s maverick prophet, Elisha. And even then the prophet wouldn’t see him in person! This Israelite  prophet was so brazen as to send servant to meet the mighty Naaman in the street, as though he were a common peddler. And as if that weren’t enough, instead of a dramatic waving of the hands and a solemn pronouncement, the servant simply said, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed”(v10) How much mortification could a man take? How low did he have to bow to get help from this God of Israel? As it turned out, he had to bow all the way. And he did. Though he initially stormed away from the encounter, Naaman finally listened to his servant’s counsel (another humiliation) choking back his angers, he wasted himself and was completely heated (v14) God used this proud man’s physical affliction to bring him something more valuable than all the great battles in the world could have won for him – a right relationship with the Lord of all. Naaman learned to bow low – and lower and lower – until he saw God in proper perspective. When he did, he found physical healing and new life. Encouragement Bible.

PRAYER LINE: In what ways has God used trials in your life? Are you learning to trust Him more?

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God may lead us into troubled waters to deepen our trust in Him.