Streams in the Desert September 10 Daily Devotional

The Lord will Perfect that which concerneth me (Psalm 138:8).
There is a Divine mystery in suffering, a strange and supernatural power in it which has never been fathomed by the human reason. There never has been known great saintliness of soul which did not pass through great suffering. When the suffering soul reaches a
calm sweet carelessness, when it can inwardly smile at its own suffering, and does not even ask God to deliver it from suffering,
then it has wrought its blessed ministry; then patience has its perfect work; then the crucifixion begins to weave itself into a crown.
It is in this state of the perfection of suffering that the Holy
Spirit works many marvelous things in our souls. In such a
condition, our whole being lies perfectly still under the hand of God; every faculty of the mind and will and heart are at last
subdued; a quietness of eternity settles down into the whole being; the tongue grows still, and has but few words to say; it stops
asking God questions; it stops crying, "Why hast thou forsaken me?"
The imagination stops building air castles, or running off on
foolish lines; the reason is tame and gentle; the choices are
annihilated; it has no choice in anything but the purpose of God. The affections are weaned from all creatures and all things; it is so dead that nothing can hurt it nothing can offend it, nothing can hinder it nothing can get in its way; for let the circumstances be
what they may, it seeks only for God and His will, and it feels
assured that God in making everything in the universe, good or bad, past or present work together for its good.
Oh, the blessedness of being absolutely conquered! of losing our
own strength, and wisdom, and plans, and desires, and being where
every atom of our nature is like placid Galilee under the omnipotent feet of our Jesus--Soul Food.
The great thing is to suffer without being discouraged. --Fenelon.
The heart that serves, and loves, and clings, Hears everywhere the rush of angel wings.