"The Bible does not mock the anguish-bitten soul by telling it that the Christian cannot experience unhappiness or disappointment; or by telling it that it has no business to be wretched. The followers of the righteous Jesus are told distinctly that there are afflictions for them; and that these afflictions are many. So in drawing up an inventory of what belongs to them, they may put down many afflictions. These are a part of their property.
We see that it is not a disreputable thing to suffer. We are in good company. The righteous man is infinitely more blessed in his afflictions than the unrighteous man is in his exemption. The den of lions may be a better place than the royal couch."
— George Bowen (1816–1888) · The White Sadhu of Bombay"The den of lions may be a better place than the royal couch."
— George Bowen · Daniel slept in the den. The king lay sleepless on the couch.✦ Part of Their Property
Bowen refuses to romanticize or to apologize. Afflictions are many. They are real. And they belong to the righteous — listed alongside faith and hope in the inventory of what the Christian owns. Not accidents. Not punishments. Not evidence of God's absence. Property. And the one who owns them is infinitely more blessed than the one exempted from them.
"Some come upon him from his unsubmissive nature struggling against the new principle that seeks to control it. Many from the wickedness of men, who do their utmost that he may not continue in a path that they abhor. Many from the lukewarmness and want of sympathy of his brethren. Some from the suggestions of the adversary, seeking to undermine his faith.
Others again from the strange procedure of God, very different from what he had erringly anticipated. He thought that God would never let him be cast into a pit or sold to Ishmaelites. He thought that God would move with the speed of lightning to his rescue. He thought that God would call to him out of the clouds, 'I have heard your prayer.'
Some afflictions come upon him from wounded affections. Some from the disappearance of loved ones."
— George Bowen (1816–1888)✦ The Strange Procedure of God
Bowen catalogues the sources with unflinching honesty: the unsubmissive nature, the wickedness of others, the lukewarmness of brethren, the adversary's suggestions. But the hardest source is the strange procedure of God — the rescue that does not come at lightning speed, the voice that does not call from the clouds, the pit that God allowed. Joseph sold to Ishmaelites. The soul expected one thing and received another. Guyon called it the hiding that arouses. Bowen calls it the strange procedure. Both point to the same truth: the delay is not abandonment. It is the longer road to a deeper deliverance.
"All the afflictions of the righteous open out into something glorious. The prisoner is not merely delivered, but he finds an angel waiting for him at the door.
And with every deliverance comes a specific blessing. One angel is named faith; another, love; another, joy; another, long-suffering; another, gentleness; another, goodness; another, meekness; another, temperance; another, peace.
Each of these graces says, 'We have come out of great tribulation.'"
— George Bowen (1816–1888)"Each of these graces says, 'We have come out of great tribulation.'"
— George Bowen · Faith, love, joy, peace — all born in the den, not on the couch✦ Born in Tribulation
Not just freedom. An angel. A specific blessing born from the specific affliction. And Bowen names them — the fruit of the Spirit, each one stepping forward and saying: we have come out of great tribulation. Faith was forged in the fire, not granted on the couch. Love was tested in the den and survived. Joy was born in the darkness and carried into the light. Every grace the Christian possesses has a tribulation behind it. The fruit does not grow on easy ground.
"That is when we learn to wait for the moment of God's grace. When the moment comes, it speaks louder than words."
Part of Their Property
Afflictions listed in the inventory alongside faith and hope. Not accidents but possessions. The righteous man more blessed in his afflictions than the unrighteous in his exemption.
The Den and the Couch
Daniel slept in peace among the lions. The king lay sleepless on the royal couch. The affliction was better real estate than the comfort. The strange procedure of God — not what was anticipated, but deeper than what was hoped.
Angels at the Door
Every affliction opens out into something glorious. Every deliverance brings a specific angel: faith, love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, peace. All born in great tribulation.