Encouragements

Few pleasures exceed that of waking up after a night of, well, pain and tears, and receiving encouragement from God's word and His saints - both living and dead. I thank God for all the sweet notes, emails, Facebook messages that my dear friends have sent me. You all are such a blessing. :)

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From Spurgeon's Morning and Evening:

The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, repetition, and effects of all our sicknesses; each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed. [...] We cannot suffer too much or be relieved too late.

(Emphasis mine.)

From Chrysostom's Homily on the Paralytic Let Down Through the Roof:

Let us then not be repining, or faint-hearted, when some unexpected thing befalls us; but let us suffer Him who knows these things accurately, to prove our hearts by fire as long as He pleases: for He does this for a useful purpose and with a view to the profit of those who are tried.