|
Blessed suffering!
Bonar, "The Night of Weeping"
Afflictions help us to get rid of sin.
Each pain is a nail driven through some
sin, another blow inflicted on the flesh,
destroying the very power of sinning.
We have not yet fully parted company
with this sinful world. And, therefore,
God drives affliction like a wedge
between us and the world; or He sends
it like a plowshare right across our most
cherished hopes and brightest prospects
until He thoroughly wearies us of all below.
"He has made me weary," said Job.
Nor do we wonder at the complaint.
Wearisome nights were his. The
"ploughers ploughed upon his back,"
and drew many a long furrow there.
He might well be weary.
So with us. God makes us weary, too,
weary all over; thoroughly weary.
We are weary of a present evil world,
weary of self,
weary of sin,
weary of suffering,
weary of this mortal body,
weary of these vile hearts,
weary of earth,
weary of all but Jesus!
Of Him no trial can weary us.
Suffering only endears Him the more.
Blessed suffering! that makes Jesus
appear more precious and the world viler!
Blessed suffering! that brings Jesus nearer
to our hearts and thrusts the world away!
|