Affliction sounds a retreat, to call us off the immoderate pursuit of earthly things. When two things are frozen together, the best way to separate them is by fire; so, when the heart and the world are together—God has no better way to separate them than by the fire of affliction.

Knowing God is in control and that he loves us should lead us to look for his loving hand even in our suffering. If you are facing difficulty right now, as a Christian, you may not fully understand what God is doing, but during it, you can look for the work of grace in your heart. No one seemed to understand this better than the Puritans. Below are four spiritual advantages of affliction, as summarized by Thomas Watson.

1. Affliction shows us more of our own hearts.

Water in a glass looks clear but set it on the fire, and the scum boils up! Just so, when God sets us upon the fire, corruption boils up, which we did not discern before.

Sharp afflictions are to the soul as a soaking rain to the house; we do not know that there are holes in the roof until the shower comes, but then we see it drop down here and there.

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