The Patience of the Saints.
By John Nevins Andrews
THIS is the virtue especially called for at the present time. We know that patience is exercised only when we are placed in circumstances of trial. If everything was agreeable to our own feelings, patience would never be known to us. We learn it in affliction. We learn it when subjected to humiliations, to vexations, to perplexities, to insults, and to the deferment of our hopes. God designs our good in suffering these to come. We must, therefore, never murmur against him, nor against his providence. Nor will it do for us to fret ourselves, or allow vexation and impatience to arise in our breasts even toward those who occasion us these sorrows. In our patience we possess our souls. Satan designs to render us morose and rebellious by the part which he acts in bringing these painful things upon us. God, in suffering them to come, designs to make them the occasion of infinite good. The use which we make of them will determine whether the one or the other of these purposes will be fulfilled. If, when sorrow and disappointment come, we open our mouths in murmuring, and yield ourselves to the evil suggestions of the devil, we shall find that we have sustained the most serious loss, and suffered injury that may be fatal to our souls. But if, when sorrow and anguish come upon us, we reach out and take hold of God, and in his strength submit ourselves to him, we shall find God to be our present help, and his grace will enter our souls, to perfect our patience, and enable us to sustain long-suffering with peace, and sometimes with joyfulness. We can learn patience. We must learn it. When it has had its perfect work we shall be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.