Beneficial Afflictions

Protopresbyter Dionysios Tatsis | August 3, 2026

 

 

Man experiences alternations in his life. At times he rejoices, because everything is going well in his life. He thinks, is pleased, and forgets that the sky is not always clear and bright. And at other times joy is succeeded by affliction, when obstacles appear in his life, such as illnesses, failures, injustices, persecutions, slanders, and a multitude of other unpleasant events.

In the first case, man has no concerns; he attributes his joy to his abilities and his successes. He thinks that he is superior, strong, talented, and unique. The idea arises in him that he is not like other people. He becomes proud, refuses to submit to God, and regards moral values as obstacles in life, which deprive him of the joy and pleasures that come from satisfying the passions. It is difficult to approach such a person and persuade him to reconsider his mistaken views about happiness.

But afflictions also come in life, and the “happy” man resents them, questions their usefulness, and falls into despair, because he too follows the course of all men. Until then, he had never thought that there was the possibility that afflictions might succeed his happiness. He tries to explain the change, which he cannot avoid, and begins to think differently and to wonder why unpleasant things happen in his life. Why does God treat him unjustly and permit his unhappiness? His indignation at the afflictions he is experiencing diminishes the high opinion he had of himself, a fact which can lead him to a salutary concern and to accept that the heavenly Father cares for him as well through afflictions.

Saint John of Kronstadt, who had spiritually supported thousands of people, often referred to the purpose of the afflictions that God permits in the lives of men. He said: “All afflictions, illnesses, sufferings, and privations are permitted by God so that we may cast sin out from within us and put virtue in its place. So that we may learn from experience how ugly a thing sin is and come to hate it. So that we may learn, again from experience, the truth and beauty of virtue and love it with our whole being.” And he likens afflictions to a great school, “because they teach us our insignificance and sinfulness. They inspire us to repentance. They cleanse the soul, bring it to its senses, and fill it with grace. They draw us away from sin and strengthen us in faith, hope, and virtue.”

The man who accepts what Saint John teaches will acquire the proper way of dealing with the afflictions of life and, instead of becoming indignant, will glorify God, because afflictions benefit him spiritually and lead him along the bright path of keeping the commandments, revealing to him the boundless loving-kindness of God, which is evident even in his present life and also secures for him the blessedness of the life to come.

 

Greek source:

https://orthodoxostypos.gr/%ce%b1%e1%bc%b1-%ce%b5%e1%bd%90%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b3%ce%b5%cf%84%ce%b9%ce%ba%ce%b1%ce%af-%ce%b8%ce%bb%ce%af%cf%88%ce%b5%ce%b9%cf%82/