Affliction often draws you close to God as you see in Ps 107.  There’s a zeal for God in the trial, or the trouble, or the distress, or the affliction.  We are to continue with zeal after affliction passes.

But as we can see with Israel, they repeatedly went back to their old ways after the Lord delivered them.  They didn’t continue with zeal after affliction.

How do we keep the zeal after affliction?  The answer is in Ps 107, as well.

First, continue to praise the Lord.  Four times in this Psalm, the psalmist writes, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men”, Ps 107:8, 15, 21, and 31.  If you will praise the Lord as much after the affliction passes as you do when he first delivers you from the affliction, you will keep your zeal long after the trouble is over.

Second, continue to obey the Lord. After the Lord delivered Israel, “they rebelled against the words of God”, Ps 107:11.  Don’t do this.  Often the affliction comes because of our disobedience.  And it is intended to get us to quit disobeying God.  You maintain the zeal when you continue to obey.

Third, continue to stay humble.  He “setteth the poor on high from affliction”, Ps 107:39.  Affliction will bring you down.  And if you stay down after the affliction passes, the Lord won’t have to bring you down again.  Humility will help you keep the zeal that you’ll have when the Lord delivers you.

Fourth, continue in wisdom.  Contrast Ps 107:43 with Ps 107:17.  One is wise and the other is a fool.  “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted”.  If you don’t learn from the affliction, you’re a fool.  If you learn from your time in trouble, you’re wise.  You will be much less likely to repeat the same mistakes that got you into trouble in the first place.

Conclusion: stay as committed to the Lord as you are in the trial.  Don’t cool off.  Continue with zeal after affliction.