August 2nd — THE DISCIPLINE OF DIFFICULTY
August 2nd.THE DISCIPLINE OF DIFFICULTY
"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
An average view of the Christian life is that it means deliverance from trouble. It is deliverance in trouble, which is very different. "He that dwel eth in the secret place of the Most High . . . there shal no evil befal thee" - no plague can come nigh the place where you are at one with God.
If you are a child of God, there certainly wil be troubles to meet, but Jesus says do not be surprised when they come. "In the world yet shal have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, there is nothing for you to fear." Men who before they were saved would scorn to talk about troubles, often become "fushionless" after being born again because they have a wrong idea of a saint.
God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength. If there is no strain, there is no strength. Are you asking God to give you life and liberty and joy? He cannot, unless you wil accept the strain. Immediately you face the strain, you wil get the strength. Overcome your own timidity and take the step, and God wil give you to eat of the tree of life and you wil get nourishment. If you spend yourself out physical y, you become exhausted; but spend yourself spiritual y, and you get more strength. God never gives strength for to-morrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the minute. The temptation is to face difficulties from a common-sense standpoint. The saint is hilarious when he is crushed with difficulties because the thing is so ludicrously impossible to anyone but God.