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be well with me.” That is your thorn , my friend, the thing which, in your 
fancy, if yon could hut get rid of, you would he happy and quiet. But, 
now, just think on it: if you only take the thing as it really is and hear it 
patiently and with resignation to God’s most holy will, you may soon see 
the day when these thorns will bring forth some of the very sweetest of 
roses , that is, in the spiritual sense of the word. Bor nothing , as you prob¬ 
ably well know, comes but by God's appointment or permission. And 
more than that, God does not send us trouble out of mere wilfulness or 
caprice; He sends it for a certain purpose, and a purpose which we can in 
many cases discover :—to ivean our hearts from this world; to impress upon 
us that great fundamental lesson, that this is not our resting-place; to lead 
us with all our heart to Jesus; the only truly satisfying resource of our un¬ 
dying souls. God, too, may sometimes leave the thorn in our hearts, so as 
to give us a deeper and larger sympathy with others in their trials and sor¬ 
rows ; to make us more humble, meek, mild, generous; in fine, to conform 
us, more and more, to the image of Him Who was the “Man of Sorrows,” 
and Who said: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart, 
and you shall find rest for your souls;” and again, “Come unto Me all ya 
that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will refresh you.” 
So, then, dear reader, never give up hope, take new courage, singing, 
as it were, with the poet: 
“Go, ye earthly fame and treasure! 
Come, disaster, scorn and pain! 
In God's service, pain is pleasure , 
With His favor, loss is gain. 
“Man may trouble and distress me, 
"Twill but drive me to His breast; 
Life with trials hard may press me, 
Heaven will bring me sweetest rest." 
—Henry F. Lyte. 
