二月十二日
我们既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。（林后1:5）
这一节圣经是多么宝贵呀！天地的主宰手中拿着一架天平，一边盘中放着他民的试炼，一边盘中放着他为他们所预备的安慰。当试炼的一边几乎除空时，你仍可看到安慰的一边依然是那些分量；而当试炼的盘中堆满时，你也必发现安慰的重量仍不稍减；乌云越浓，太阳所露出的光就越明亮；当夜深浪猛时，天上的船主仍然与他的水手们同舟共济。这是一件真该赞美神的事，我们所受的打击越大，圣灵各样的安慰把我们举得也越高。其中有一个理由：因为试炼为安慰倒空了更多的地方。伟大的心胸只能由重大的困难造成。苦难的锹能把贮藏安慰的窖掘得更深、更广，好多容纳安慰。神来到我们心中——他看到我们心中已经装满了东西——他就开始铲除那些，将它除空，好多容受他的恩典。一个人越谦卑，所得的安慰也越多，因为他更适合接受它。另一个理由解释我们为什么当苦难之时仍能快乐，乃是因为那时我们与神的交往最为密切。仓廪充实的时候，人们便能离神独自生存；袋中满了黄金时，我们就不常祷告了。但神再一次地把我们的蓖麻拿去，我们就又要神了；再一次把家中的偶像除去，我们就不能不尊崇耶和华。“耶和华啊！我从深处向你求告。”再也没有一种呼声能比山谷底下发的更好听了；再也没有一种祷告能比经过试炼和灾害，发自心灵深处的祷告更热切了。它们这样把我们带到神的面前，我们就快乐起来，因为亲近神就是快乐。来吧！受苦受难的信徒，不要怕你所受的重大的苦难，因为它们是更大的恩怜的使者。
February
12
“For
as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by
Christ.” –2 Corinthians 1:5
There is a blessed proportion. The Ruler of Providence bears a pair of
scales–in this side He puts His people’s trials, and in that He puts their
consolations. When the scale of trial is nearly empty, you will always find the
scale of consolation in nearly the same condition; and when the scale of trials
is full, you will find the scale of consolation just as heavy. When the black
clouds gather most, the light is the more brightly revealed to us. When the
night lowers and the tempest is coming on, the Heavenly Captain is always
closest to His crew. It is a blessed thing, that when we are most cast down,
then it is that we are most lifted up by the consolations of the Spirit. One
reason is, because trials make more room for consolation. Great hearts can only
be made by great troubles. The spade of trouble digs the reservoir of comfort
deeper, and makes more room for consolation. God comes into our heart–He finds
it full–He begins to break our comforts and to make it empty; then there is
more room for grace. The humbler a man lies, the more comfort he will always
have, because he will be more fitted to receive it. Another reason why we are
often most happy in our troubles, is this–then we have the closest dealings
with God. When the barn is full, man can live without God: when the purse is
bursting with gold, we try to do without so much prayer. But once take our
gourds away, and we want our God; once cleanse the idols out of the house, then
we are compelled to honour Jehovah. “Out of the depths have I cried unto
thee, O Lord.” There is no cry so good as that which comes from the bottom
of the mountains; no prayer half so hearty as that which comes up from the
depths of the soul, through deep trials and afflictions. Hence they bring us to
God, and we are happier; for nearness to God is happiness. Come, troubled
believer, fret not over your heavy troubles, for they are the heralds of
weighty mercies.
