" . . . That He [God] might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end-- . . . "
None of us like humbling, or testing; but all of us like a good end. The hard facts are that churchmen are not made to be like Christ *except* through difficult struggles--that drive us to Christ (in faith and prayer). If everything came to us easily, we would never grow to value the fact that *God* provided it for us, (and we would think that we ourselves earned or merited it).
Therefore, let us churchmen take the initiative, and humble ourselves before the Lord (as per 1 Pet. 5:6). When we do this, we're well on the way to victory and delight. The "end" or goal will be sweet; and we won't regret the process at all.
[Puritan quote of the day: "As the power of God's Spirit raised [Christ] up when He was at the lowest . . . so the Spirit in every Christian raises him up at the lowest . . . " --Richard Sibbes, in "Glorious Freedom"]
