Recently I was in a nosedive. Too many things seemed too hard. But God always provides something to help me pull up. This time it was the following prayer from Valley of Vision. It reminded me of the hard but helpful truth that my challenges aren’t random. They’re appointed by God, if for no other reason than’ to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead’ (2 Corinthians 1.9); to break us then remake us like Jesus (Romans 8.29).
O My Lord and Saviour,
Thou hast also appointed a cross for me to take up and carry,
a cross before thou givest me a crown.
Thou hast appointed it to be my portion, but self-love hates it,
carnal reason is unreconciled to it;
without the grace of patience I cannot bear it, walk with it, profit by it.
O blessed cross, what mercies dost thou bring with thee!
Thou art only esteemed hateful by my rebel will, heavy because I shirk thy load.
Teach me, gracious Lord and Saviour, that with my cross thou sendest promised grace so that I may bear it patiently, that my cross is thy yoke which is easy, and thy burden which is light.
‘The Grace of the Cross’, Valley of Vision