A spirit of thankfulness is one of the most distinctive marks of a Christian whose heart is attuned to the Lord. Thank God in the midst of trials and every persecution.
– Billy Graham –
Trials
The Christian’s Safety – Thomas Watson
The fear of God is a Christian’s safety. He is invulnerable; nothing can hurt him. Plunder him of his money, he carries a treasure about him of which he cannot be robbed (Isa. 33:6). Cast him into prison his conscience is free; kill his body, it shall rise again. He who has on this breastplate of God’s fear may be shot at, but can never be shot through.
– Thomas Watson –
from The Great Gain of Godliness, 1682
Trials teach us – Charles Spurgeon
Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of.
– Charles Spurgeon –
God has armed you – CS Lewis
God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain, but without stain.
– CS Lewis –
Take the Hardest Thing in Your Life – Lilias Trotter
Take the very hardest thing in your life — the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom.
– Lilias Trotter –
How to carry burdens – One of the ladies of the Scottish Covenant
With God, the most of mosts is lighter than nothing, and without Him the least of leasts is heavier than any burden.
– One of the ladies of the Scottish Covenant –
Choosing Difficulty – John Bunyan
You have chosen the roughest road, but it leads straight to the hill-tops.
– John Bunyan –
Suffering for Christ – Francis Xavier
Yet more, Oh my God, more toil, more agony, more suffering for Thee.
– Francis Xavier –
God has Girded You for Difficulty – Horace Bushnell
Take your burdens, and troubles, and losses, and wrongs, if come they must and will, as your opportunities, knowing that God has girded you for greater things than these.
– Horace Bushnell –