Dear Friends,
Why does God allow His children to at times pass through very difficult
times? That He does so a mere reading of the New Testament makes clear.
This world is not heaven and our rest is still future. One reason for
suffering is to test our faith by testing our perseverance. If we really
believe we will persist, as today’s attached devotional teaches. God
bless you.

Because of Calvary,
John Janney

• Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

“Prayers unanswered, promises unfulfilled, sickness protracted during weary years of pain, disappointments and trials coming in troops as if all God’s waves and billows were passing over them, active persecution bringing all the devices of torture to bear upon them, — how have such things tried the patience; the waiting power of the servants of God! But let them remember that if the trial he severe the recompense is great, and that in the end nothing will grieve them more than to have distrusted their Master and thought it possible that His promises would fail. ‘God is not unrighteous to forget.’” [William Garden Blaikie, “Joshua,” The Expositor’s Bible I, (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1903), p. 640]