“Those who are afflicted in various ways because of Christ and who persevere to the end have their faith tested and proved. They ought therefore to rejoice, even if some of their labor appears to be involuntary. Peter calls this kind of labor grief, a word which he uses in one of the two meanings described by the apostle Paul, who said [in 2Co 7:10] that there is one grief which leads to death and another which leads to repentance…There is no greater witness to the love of God and faith in Christ than sickness endured with faith and love. The one who bears his infirmities with virtue, with courage and patience, with faith and hope, with gladness and joy, is the greatest witness to divine salvation that can possibly be. Nothing can compare to such a person, for God’s praise in distress and affliction is the greatest possible offering that man can make of his life on earth.” (St. Didymus the Blind, Fr. Thomas Hopko)
“Saint Paul wrote of serving Christ “through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors…[and] hunger…” We must follow his example by being good stewards even of our responses to our most painful challenges and sorrows. God is never the author of evil and the Lord Who has made death a pathway to eternal life never abandons us; instead, He makes it possible for us to know His healing and strength even when we are sorely tempted to despair.” (Fr. Philip LeMasters)
“The last two verses (Isaiah 50:11-12) are a call from Him who became a servant for our salvation. He invites us to “trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon God” (Is 50:10). He expects us to translate His acts into our lives, to accept the risks of faith. Recall our paschal invitation to “take light from the Light that is never overtaken by night.” Let each of us “kindle a fire” and “feed a flame” that we may “walk in the light of . . . the flame [we] kindled” (vs. 11). God will not fail us, even though He allows affliction and sorrow.” (Dynamis 4/25/2019)
“And when any kind of sorrow from demons and men comes upon us, or an affliction or disease or misfortune, then especially let us diligently pray to God. Let us cry out with tears without anxiety and concern over how we should be delivered from this need, for there is no sorrow that comes to us without God's providence.” (St. Paisius Velichkovsky)
“We find our ultimate source of comfort in our time of affliction in God’s greatness, for it is the greatness of love. Our secular society has almost forgotten what real love is, and we identify love with indulgence—a false and fatal identification, as all wise parents know. To love is not to indulge. To love is to lead to ultimate joy, even if the path to joy is a frightening and painful one. Love leads us to a place of which it can be truly said, “All will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of thing will be well”... if we continue to trust God, all will be well, and all will be well, and all manner of thing will be well. This is our comfort in affliction. (Fr. Lawrence Farley, Julian of Norwich)
“The verb, ‘endure,’ from, synkakopatheson, means literally, ‘to suffer affliction with.’ ” (Dynamis 7/27/2018)
“Suffering is an inescapable aspect of human life in the present world. Suffering, affliction and tragic experiences disclose the vulnerable nature of human life; it enables us to recognize our limitations as human beings and our dependence upon others and upon God for sustenance in life. Suffering has the potential to lead human beings either to despair, misery and self enclosure or to transcendence through hope and faith, trusting the benevolence of God.” (Fr. Emmanuel Clapsis)
“In the Word we hear of God, but in affliction we see Him. Affliction is a furnace to try the faith of God's people and to see God's faithfulness in his promises. It is a sad thing to have affliction, but not the blessing of affliction; to feel the wood of the cross, but not the good of the cross.” (Thomas Case)
“As hard as it is to endure affliction, to believe God is not the cause but permits it for our good, and that the way to a deeper union with God is often through our personal version of the cross; it is something me must accept, endure, and hold on to the truth of God’s promise and His love. Or we can choose to reject this reality and grow bitter, resentful, and wither in our afflictions. My advice is to choose the former, and pray that God brings people into your life who have endured afflictions and come through them, and let their bright spirits keep you buoyant as you go through yours.” (Sacramental Living Ministries )
“Afflictions for God’s sake are dearer to Him than any prayer or sacrifice.” (St. Isaac the Syrian)