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Our trials?
From Spurgeon's- "The Sheep Before the Shearers"
Sometimes our trials seem too strong for us.
"Lord, if I were stronger I would not mind this heavy loss;
but I am frail as a sere leaf driven by the tempest."
But who is to be the judge of the 'suitability' of your trial?
You or God?
Since the Lord judges this trial to be suitable
to your weakness, you may be sure that it is so.
Lie still! Lie still!
"Alas," you say, "my grief comes from the most cruel quarter;
this trouble did not arise directly from God, it came through my
cousin or my brother who ought to have treated me with gratitude.
It did not come from an enemy: then I could have borne it."
My brother, let me assure you that in reality every trial
does not come from an enemy after all.
God is at the bottom of all your tribulation!
Look through the second causes, to the great First Cause.
It is a great mistake when we fret over the human instrument
which smites us, and forget the hand which uses the rod.
If I strike a dog, he bites my stick; poor creature, he knows no
better: but if he could think a little he would bite me,
or else take the blow submissively.
Now, you must not begin biting the stick.
After all, it is your heavenly Father that uses the staff;
though it be of ebony or of blackthorn, it is in his hand.
It is well to be done with picking and choosing our trials,
and to leave the whole matter in the hand of infinite wisdom.
Oh, believer, yield yourself!
Lie passive in the hands of God!
There is no use in struggling.
We shall endure much more pain by rebelling than
would have come if we had yielded to the divine will.
What good comes by fretting?
We cannot make one hair white or black.
You that are troubled- you cannot make shower or shine,
foul or fair, with all your groaning.
Murmuring is wasted breath, and fretting is wasted time.
To lie passive in the hand of God brings a blessing to the soul.
I would myself be more quiet, calm, and self-possessed.
I long to cry habitually-
"Lord, do what you will,
when you will,
as you will, with me, your servant.
Appoint me honor or dishonor,
wealth or poverty,
sickness or health,
exhilaration or depression,
and I will take all gladly from your hand."
A man is not far from the gates of heaven
when he is fully submissive to the Lord's will.
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