In the day of adversity, consider. George Milne, Lessons for the
Christians Daily Walk, 1859. In the day of adversity, consider. Surely God has appointed the
one as well as the other. Ecclesiastes 7.14 In your adversity,
consider, that you deserve it all, that had you nothing but
adversity, it only were your due. that every moment free from
trouble is a mercy, that had the full curse been poured on
you, your life would be nothing but sorrow and vexation. Consider that God afflicts you
for your profit to bring your sins to mind and lead you to
the cross. Believer, God chastens you in
love to make you a partaker of His holiness, How often have you forgotten
Him, but He never forgets you, and thus He chastens you. Consider how much you live for
the world, how little you live for the Lord. Consider how earthly,
sensual, and devilish is your nature. Consider your thoughts,
how vain. Consider your service, how unprofitable. Consider, then, God's love in
chastening you. Are you in sickness? Then consider
your many days of former health, all undeserved by you. Consider
your many helps in trouble, God's presence, and His grace, all
undeserved by you. In sleepless nights, consider
how many nights you have slept soundly and sweetly, all undeserved
by you. Consider Him who gives you songs
in the night, all undeserved by you. In poverty, consider
how all your former needs have been supplied, food, clothing,
lodging, and so many comforts, all undeserved by you. Have you incurred the loss of
sight or hearing, loss of limbs or power of using them? Consider
then, your former powers, how much enjoyment you have had in
seeing, hearing, moving, handling, all, undeserved by you. O tried believer, consider then
that your afflictions are light, and they are but for a moment.
They are all ordered in divine wisdom, tenderness, and love. Consider Jesus, what sufferings
He endured, all for unworthy you. Then faint not, nor be weary. but consider your eternal weight
of glory, glory that far outweighs all your woes, glory all undeserved
by you. Therefore, we do not lose heart,
though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day, for our light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we
fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what
is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4 16-18