Look Upon Mine Affliction and My Pain; and Forgive All My Sins
A Christian should pray about their sorrows and sins together, taking both to God in the right spirit, leaving their troubles and sins in His hands.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the importance of bringing both our sorrows and sins to God, as exemplified by David's approach in prayer. He highlights that while it is natural to seek relief from pain, it is crucial to prioritize the confession and forgiveness of our sins. Spurgeon encourages believers to trust in God's ability to handle both our afflictions and our transgressions, reminding us that our sins weigh heavier on our souls than our sorrows. The sermon teaches that we should approach God with a spirit of humility, recognizing our need for forgiveness above all else. Ultimately, Spurgeon reassures us that God is willing and able to relieve us of both our pain and our guilt.
Text
It is well for us when prayers about our sorrows are linked with pleas concerning our sins--when, being under God's hand, we are not wholly taken up with our pain, but remember our offences against God. It is well, also, to take both sorrow and sin to the same place. It was to God that David carried his sorrow: it was to God that David confessed his sin. Observe, then, we must take our sorrows to God. Even your little sorrows you may roll upon God, for He counteth the hairs of your head; and your great sorrows you may commit to Him, for He holdeth the ocean in the hollow of His hand. Go to Him, whatever your present trouble may be, and you shall find Him able and willing to relieve you. But we must take our sins to God too.
We must carry them to the cross, that the blood may fall upon them, to purge away their guilt, and to destroy their defiling power.
The special lesson of the text is this:--that we are to go to the Lord with sorrows and with sins in the right spirit. Note that all David asks concerning his sorrow is, "Look upon mine affliction and my pain;" but the next petition is vastly more express, definite, decided, plain--"Forgive all my sins" Many sufferers would have put it, "Remove my affliction and my pain, and look at my sins." But David does not say so; he cries, "Lord, as for my affliction and my pain, I will not dictate to Thy wisdom.
Lord, look at them, I will leave them to Thee, I should be glad to have my pain removed, but do as Thou wilt; but as for my sins, Lord, I know what I want with them; I must have them forgiven; I cannot endure to lie under their curse for a moment." A Christian counts sorrow lighter in the scale than sin; he can bear that his troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Importance of Taking Sorrows and Sins to God
- A. Praying about sorrows and sins together
- B. Taking both sorrow and sin to the same place
- II. Taking Sorrows to God
- A. Even small sorrows can be rolled upon God
- B. God is able and willing to relieve our troubles
- III. Taking Sins to God
- A. Carrying sins to the cross for forgiveness
- B. The blood of Christ purges away guilt and sin
Key Quotes
“It is well, also, to take both sorrow and sin to the same place.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“A Christian counts sorrow lighter in the scale than sin; he can bear that his troubles should continue, but he cannot support the burden of his transgressions.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We should pray about our sorrows and sins together, remembering our offenses against God and seeking His forgiveness.
- We should go to the Lord with sorrows and sins in the right spirit, leaving our troubles and sins in His hands.
- We should count our sins lighter than our troubles, knowing that we can bear our troubles, but cannot endure the burden of our transgressions.