Lessons of Experience
The mother of a brain-injured child wrote these enobling words: “We would have called it the greatest tragedy of our lives were it not for the fact that because of her condition we have come to know God better. Our keen disappointment when the expected mental growth did not occur cannot be fully expressed. However, it made us understand how God must feel when His children fail to develop spiritually.” Yes, the Lord often allows difficulties and heartaches in order to enlarge our hearts to receive a spiritual blessing they otherwise could not contain.
A blind man once asked why he always seemed so happy and how it was he never complained about his lot. He replied, “I never saw until I was blind. When my physical eyesight was taken away, there came to me an insight into spiritual realities unseen by mortal eyes.”
I learn as the years roll onward - and leave the past behind -
That much I have counted sorrow - but proves our God is kind!
That many a flower I’d longed for - had a hidden thorn of pain -
And many a rigged bypath - led to fields of ripened grain!
The clouds but cover the sunshine, they cannot banish the sun -
And the sun shines out the brighter when the weary rain is done!
We must stand in the deepest sorrow to see the clearest light -
And often from wrong’s own darkness comes the very strength of light!
We must live through the weary winter if we would value the spring -
And the woods must be cold and silent before the robins sing!
The flowers must be burled in darkness, before they can bud and bloom -
And the warmest and purest sunshine comes after the storm and the gloom!
So the hearts from the greatest sorrow gain the purest joy of all -
And from lips that have tasted sadness the sweetest songs will fall!
For as peace is a reward of suffering and love is a reward of pain -
So after earth comes Heaven - and out of our loss, our gain!
- Mrs. H. L. Gulledge
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365 Devotionals
SpiritualA daily devotional to reflect on the adoration and joy that is God's love.
