Sorrows and Troubles

"Let us learn, first of all, that following Christ
will not prevent our having earthly sorrows and troubles.

Here are the chosen disciples of the Lord Jesus in great anxiety.
The faithful little flock, which believed when priests and scribes
and Pharisees were all alike unbelieving, is allowed 
by the Shepherd to be much disquieted.

The fear of death breaks in upon them like an armed man.
The deep waters seem likely to go over their souls.
Peter, James and John, the pillars of the church about 
to be planted in the world, are much distressed.
Perhaps they had not reckoned on all this.



Perhaps they expected that Christ's service would at any rate
lift them above the reach of earthly trials.  Perhaps they thought that He,
who could raise the dead and heal the sick and feed multitudes with a
few loaves and cast out devils with a word, He would never allow
His servants to be sufferers upon earth.

Perhaps they had supposed He would always grant them smooth journeys,
fine weather, an easy course and freedom from trouble and care.

If the disciples thought so, they were much mistaken.
The Lord Jesus taught them that a man may be one of His chosen servants,
and yet have to go through many an anxiety, and endure many a pain.

It is good to understand this clearly.  It is good to understand that Christ's
service never did secure a man from all the ills that flesh is heir to, and never will.

If you are a believer, you must reckon on having your share of sickness and pain,
of sorrow and tears, of losses and crosses, of deaths and bereavements,
of partings and separations, of vexations and disappointments,
so long as you are in the body.  Christ never undertakes
that you shall get to heaven without these."

Quoted from "Holiness" by J. C. Ryle pages 192-93

With Love,
Camille

**Image in this post courtesy of Calvin ~
Thank you my love. XO