Streams in the Desert November 23 Daily Devotional

Thou hast shewed thy people hard things (Psalm 60.3).
I have always been glad that the Psalmist said to God that I some things were hard. There is no mistake about it; there are hard things in fife. Some beautiful pink flowers were given me this summer, and as I took them I said, "What are they?" And the answer came, "They are rock flowers; they grow and bloom only on rocks where you can see no sod." Then I thought of Gods flowers growing in hard places; and I feel, somehow, that He may have a peculiar tenderness for His "rock flowers" that He may not have for His lilies and roses. Margaret Bottome.
The tests of life are to make, not break us. Trouble may demolish a man's business but build up his character. The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man. If God, then, puts or pen-nits anything hard in our fives, be sure that the real peril, the real trouble, is what we shall lose if we flinch or rebel. --Maltbie D. Babcock
Heroes are forged on anvils hot with pain,
And splendid courage comes but with the test. Some natures ripen and some natures bloom
Only on blood-wet soil, some souls prove great Only in moments dark with death or doom.
God gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.