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Black envelopes?
The following is from Spurgeon's sermon,
"All These Things- A Sermon With Three Texts"
See how Jacob dwells upon his troubles-
"Everything is against me." -Genesis 42:36
Our notation of our trials is very apt to
present them in exaggerated number, but
when we come to count our mercies, as a
usual rule our tendency is to diminish them.
We magnify the number of our troubles,
and underestimate our many benefits.
Sitting alone, silent in our sorrow, crushed
out of all hope, we claim the unhappy right
to declare, "Everything is against me."
and yet, beloved, it is not so.
We frequently talk of our sorrows in language
larger than the truth would warrant. We write
ourselves down as solitary in the realms of
misery, whereas we do but bear the common
burdens of ordinary men.
We dream that no others have ever passed
along our rugged path, whereas the road
is hard with the footsteps of the flock.
We imagine that the furnace has been heated
seven times hotter for us, whereas, compared
with martyrs, and the afflicted in all ages, and
especially compared with our Master, it is
probable that our griefs are of the lighter kind.
We have said, "Why has God dealt this way
with me? Why are his strokes so multiplied?
Why are my wounds so blue? Oh, why am I
thus chastised? Why does he put cross upon
cross upon my galled shoulders, and crush
me into the dust with heaviness of sorrow?"
We are a thousand fools in one to be
caviling at God's ways, and saying,
"Everything is against me."
Peace, child of God, peace.
Your Father loves you.
It is not possible for him to measure out to
you a crumb of sorrow more than is needed,
nor a grain of bitterness more than your soul
absolutely requires for its spiritual health.
Probably we are never so much in spiritual
prosperity, as when plunged in adversity.
Unbelief reckons our best things to be our
worst. God sends his mercies to us
in black envelopes, and we sit down
crying over their dismal covering, and
dare not open the letter and read the
heavenly news written within.
The nobility of faith would say, "The Lord
gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed
be the name of the Lord." "Shall we receive
good at the hand of the Lord? and shall we
not also receive evil?"
Our trials and afflictions are medicinal.
There are spiritual diseases which would
corrupt our spirit if not checked, kept down,
and destroyed by the daily crosses which
the Lord lays upon our shoulders. Just as
the fever must be held in check by the bitter
draught of quinine, so must the bitter cup of
affliction rebuke our rising pride and worldliness.
We would exalt ourselves above measure,
and provoke the Lord to jealousy against us,
were it not that trouble lays us low.
None of us shall know until we read our
biography in the light of heaven, from what
inbred sins, foul corruptions, damnable
uncleanliness, and detestable lusts we have
been delivered, by being driven again and
again along the fiery road of affliction.
Adversities are the sharp knives with which
God cuts from us the deadly ulcers of our sins!
They are the two-edged swords with which
he slays our enemies which lurk within us.
He must prune us and trim us as the gardener
his trees, otherwise we shall bring forth no fruit.
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