May 26 ~

He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity ... Those who suffer he rescues through suffering and teaches them by the discipline of affliction ... you must regard it as nothing but joy when you are involved in all kinds of trials, for you must realize that when faith has passed through the ordeal of testing the result is the ability to pass the breaking point and not to break ... I can do everything through Him who gives me the strength ... "apart from Me you can do nothing" ...
Job 36:15 (RSV,NEB); Js.1:2-3 (BAR); Phil.4:13 (Beck); Jn.15:5 (NAS)

What an advantage is catastrophe!
For the responsive thoughts that come to me
bring pain so great that I can't bear to be
- to dwell - in my own mind! So I must flee
from them to Thee, from the cacophony
of Self, beseeching Thee to set me free
-- whilst knowing Thou've a blest conspiracy
'gainst Self itself! Thou've called me unto Thee
out of Self's realm into Thy harmony:
completely out of Selfdom's misery!
And yet I've come so slowly, stubbornly:
so slow to let go - trust! - entirely
that Thou must bless me with adversity ...

Let me at last give in, Lord -- totally!