I’ve been reading Be Still My Soul: Embracing God’s Purpose & Provision in Suffering,
edited by Nancy Guthrie, which is a collection of 25 readings by various
authors. The following are several quotes that I’ve noted and clung to in
recent weeks.
“God permits what he hates to accomplish what he loves.” –Joni
Eareckson Tada (35)
“You are one person living at one place, at one point in
time and even if God chose to explain to you how all the pieces of his giant
puzzle are fitting together in a manner consistent with his own righteous and
holy and gracious nature, so that he may faithfully fulfill his promises in
your life and work everything that happens to you for your good, you couldn’t
understand it. But you can believe that God understands it. And you can believe
that God is loving enough, and powerful enough, and wise enough, and gracious
enough, and faithful enough to you to do what he says when he promises to work
everything for your good.” –Wilson Benton, Jr. (59)
“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he
has hurt him deeply.” –A.W. Tozer (89)
“Sanctified tribulations work the proof of our faith, and
this is more precious than that of gold, which perisheth, though it be tried by
fire… [Your] own faith in God is proved when you can cling to him under
temptation… I find it especially sweet to learn the great strength of the Lord
in my own weakness.” –Charles Spurgeon (104-105)
“It was as if the Savior was saying, ‘I can demonstrate my
power better by not eliminating your problem. It is better for you, Paul, and
for my glory in your life, that I show my strength by keeping you going though
the thorn remains.’ …The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we
lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To
live with your ‘thorn’ uncomplainingly, sweet, patient, and free in heart to
love and help others, even though every day you feel weak, is true
sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of
grace. The healing of your sinful person thus goes forward even though the
healing of your mortal body does not. And the healing of persons is the name of
the game so far as God is concerned.” –J.I. Packer (139-140)
“‘Blessed [happy] is the people whose God is the Lord’—that is,
who count enjoying God as their happiness—when they lose everything, they can
still be happy because they have not lost God. Our afflictions reveal our state
of mind; when we see outward crosses as the greatest evil, God is not our main
happiness. In the greatest lack of earthly things there is happiness, and
comfort enough in God’s covenant.” –Thomas Manton (143)
“As we sang [Since Jesus Came Into My Heart], I wondered how
everyone in the chapel was processing that statement in light of real life
experience when sea billows of joy do not roll over the soul. Here’s how I fit
it in my own experience: Yes, since knowing Jesus, joy has rolled over me like
the waves of the sea, but not always. There are times when the tide goes out. God
is still God; joy is still joy; but I am baking in the seaweed on the beach
waiting for the tide to come in… God’s purpose in our weakness is to glorify
the grace and power of his Son… not by getting rid of all our weaknesses; but
by giving strength to endure and even rejoice in tribulation. ” –John Piper
(145, 151)
And one final reminder that my pastor shared with me:
May you be “strengthened
with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience
with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the
inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 2:11-12 ESV).
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