Lots of Quotes Happening….

“The godly mind must climb higher still: to where Christ calls his disciples when he says that each one must take up his cross (Matt. 16:24). Those whom the Lord has chosen and honoured with his friendship must be prepared for a hard, strenuous and testing life, full  of many different troubles. It is the Father’s will to exercise his followers in this way, putting them to the test.”

“The bitterness of the cross for us is sweetened greatly when we think that the more we suffer hard experiences, the more sure we are made of our fellowship with Christ.”

“We are so feeble by nature and so quick to think we are perfect that we need visible demonstration of our weakness.  Otherwise, we think we are much better than we are, and are sure that we can triumph over all difficulties. So we indulge in stupid confidence in the flesh. This even makes us proud before the Lord, as if we could cope without his grace. He stamps on this arrogance when he proves to us by experience how great our weakness is.  So he allows us to meet with disgrace, poverty, bereavement, disease or some other affliction. Then, feeling overwhelmed we admit defeat and humbly call on him for strength, which alone enables us to cope.”

“Now we can see how many advantages result from the cross. It overturns the high opinion we have of our own virtue and exposes the hypocrisy we so often indulge in.  It removes our deadly confidence in the flesh, teaching us, when humbled, to rest in God alone, so that we are not discouraged or depressed…..It is vital to get rid of self-love and be made aware of weakness. Then, convinced of our weakness, we distrust ourselves. This makes us switch our confidence that we know we can rely on his help. Then by his grace we shall stand firm to the end, realizing that he is true to his promises, and so sure of this that we can be strong in hope.”

“Whatever sort of tribulation we suffer, we should always remember that its purpose is to make us spurn the present and reach out to the future. God knows very well that we are naturally drawn to love this world. So, to keep us from clinging to it too closely, he finds good reason to call us away and wake us up. [...] But when we look at men’s plans, desires and actions, there seem to be nothing but earthly values. How stupid we are! Our minds are so dazzled with the glare of wealth, power and honours, that we cannot see beyond them. The heart also, preoccupied with greed, ambition and lust, is in the grip of worldly attractions, and looks for happiness only here on earth. To combat this disease, the Lord makes his people aware of their futility of their present life by frequent proof of its misery.”

-John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

These passages shook me over the last week. How badly I long for life to be easy. Thank God that he loves me too much to give me what I want.