Streams in the Desert: November 23

You have shown your people desperate times. (Psalms 60:3)

  I have always been glad that the psalmist said to God that certain times of life are desperate or difficult. Make no mistake about it, there are difficult in life.

   This summer someone gave me some beautiful pink flowers, and as I took them, I asked, "What kind are they?" My friend answered, "They are rock flowers. They grow and bloom only on rocks where you can see no soil."  then I thought of God's flowers growing in desperate times and hard places, and I somehow feel that He may have a certain tenderness for His "rock flowers" that He may not  have fro is lilies and roses.    Margaret Bottome 

  The trials of life are sent to make us, not to break us.  Financial troubles may destroy a person's business but build up his character.  and a direct blow to the outer person may be the greatest  blessing possible to the inner person.  So if God places or allows anything difficult in out lives, we can be sure that the real danger or trouble will be what we will lose if we run or rebel against it.  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 prove great
         Only in moments dark with death or doom.

  God finds His best soldiers on the mountain of affliction.