二月十八日
要指示我，你为何与我争辩。（伯10:2）
受试炼的人哪！或许神这样作为的是要加增你的美德（grace）。若你不经过试炼，恐怕有许多美德是你永远所不能发现的。你知道你的信心在冬天的时候比夏天要好得多吗？爱心像一个萤火虫一样，但只有在团团的黑暗中才能发出它的光来。盼望像一颗星一样，在鼎盛的日光中是看不到的，只能在灾祸的深夜中发现。灾害是神琢磨他孩子们的美德的方法，叫他们像珠玉一样晶莹明亮。适才你还双膝跪地祷告说：“主啊！我怕我没有信心，求你使我知道我有信心。”虽然是无意，但这不是祈求试炼吗？——因为你还没有使用你的信心，你怎么知道你没有信心呢？神常差试炼临到我们，好叫我们靠着信心发现我们的美德，并且使它们发展起来。同时，除了发现之外，还能因试炼，叫我们真真在恩典中有长进。神常取去我们的安逸和权益，为的是叫我们成为更好的基督徒。他并不在安舒和奢靡的帐篷中训练他的精兵，而是使他们离开那里，在艰难的进军和劳苦的服役中得到训练。他使他们跋山涉水，背着笨重、苦痛的行囊，艰步前行。基督徒呀！这不足以解释你所经过的苦难吗？神不曾使你的美德发挥出来，使他们发出亮光来吗？这不是他与你争辩的理由吗？
“试炼使应许更美甜，试炼使祈祷有新生；试炼使我，谦恭俯伏在他脚前。”
February
18
“Shew
me wherefore thou contendest with me.” –Job 10:2
Perhaps, O tried soul, the Lord is doing
this to develop thy graces. There are some of thy graces which would never be
discovered if it were not for thy trials. Dost thou not know that thy faith
never looks so grand in summer weather as it does in winter? Love is too often
like a glow-worm, showing but little light except it be in the midst of
surrounding darkness. Hope itself is like a star–not to be seen in the
sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.
Afflictions are often the black foils in which God doth set the jewels of His
children’s graces, to make them shine the better. It was but a little while ago
that on thy knees thou wast saying, “Lord, I fear I have no faith: let me
know that I have faith.” Was not this really, though perhaps
unconsciously, praying for trials?–for how canst thou know that thou hast
faith until thy faith is exercised? Depend upon it, God often sends us trials
that our graces may be discovered, and that we may be certified of their
existence. Besides, it is not merely discovery, real growth in grace is the
result of sanctified trials. God often takes away our comforts and our
privileges in order to make us better Christians. He trains His soldiers, not
in tents of ease and luxury, but by turning them out and using them to forced
marches and hard service. He makes them ford through streams, and swim through
rivers, and climb mountains, and walk many a long mile with heavy knapsacks of
sorrow on their backs. Well, Christian, may not this account for the troubles
through which thou art passing? Is not the Lord bringing out your graces, and
making them grow? Is not this the reason why He is contending with you?
“Trials make the promise sweet;
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to His feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.”
