Category: trials

Sorry to say I have been neglecting this blog for way too long.  Especially during these times we have need of witnesses to hope.  Here’s a pertinent quote from my old friend, Amy Carmichael.  May you find encouragement in her words. 

1 Thess 3.3. (Weymouth): That none of you might be unnerved by your present trials: for you yourselves know that they are our appointed lot.

Have you difficulties?  They are our appointed lot.  Have you trials?  They are our appointed lot. 

Those five words were written to people who might any day find themselves in prison, tortured, lonely, oppressed.  Her if we have to have a tooth out, we have an injection.  There was no injection for the Christians of Thessalonica.  Let us not forget that when we are tempted to fuss over trifles, and call things trials which are mere nothings.

Still, there are trials sometimes, and they may look very big.  But they are our appointed lot–we were never promised ease.  The early Christians were not taught to expect it.  Don’t let us slip into the expectation of the easy.  It isn’t our appointed lot.

But for us there is always another word (2 Cor 12.9): My grace is sufficient for you.

“Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.” (Ps 63.7)

“As the apple tree–or any beautiful tree–among the trees of the wood, so I, my Beloved among the sons, I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.”  (Song of Songs 2.3)

“So there is joy and nourishment for our souls in the shadow of our Lord.  Sometimes we fear as we think of the shadow–‘They feared as they entered the cloud’ (Lk 9.34).” But after those three disciples had entered into the shadow of that cloud, they found it so wonderful that they wanted to stay there.  Let us not be afraid of the shadows.  Let us not be afraid of the clouds. We often meet Him in thick clouds. The shadow is the shadow of our Beloved. He is very near to the place where His shadow is.” (Amy Carmichael)