When God permits suffering, He also provides comfort.

上帝允许痛苦临到，也同时赐下安慰。

My times are in your hands.   --Psalm 31:15

我终身的事在祢手中。-诗篇31篇15节

When South African pastor Andrew Murray was visiting England in 1895, he began to suffer pain from a previous back injury. While he was recuperating, his hostess told him of a woman who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any counsel for her. Murray said, “Give her this paper which I have been writing for my own [encouragement]. It may be that she will find it helpful.” This is what Murray wrote:

南非牧师慕安德烈曾在1895年造访英格兰。当时他深受背部旧伤复发之苦，在等待康复期间，接待他的女主人告诉他，有位姐妹正面对极大的困难，希望得到他的辅导。慕安德烈说：「把这张纸拿给她，上面我写了一些话语来激励自己，或许对她有帮助。」纸上这样写道：

“In time of trouble say:

First—God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place. In that I will rest.

「在面对患难时，我告诉自己：

首先，上帝让我遭遇困境，这既然是祂的心意，我就安稳歇息。

Next—He will keep me in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child.

接着，祂会保守我在祂的爱中，并在试炼中赐给我恩典，保守我行事为人合乎祂儿女的身分。

Then—He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.

然后，祂会将试炼化为祝福，从中教导我当学的功课，以祂的恩典造就我。

Last—In His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows.

最后，祂会按照祂所定的时刻，带领我离开这困境。至于会以什么方式，什么时候，唯有祂知道

I am here—by God’s appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time.”

我在这里，顺从祂的心意、得蒙祂的保守、接受祂的训练、按着祂的时间。」

We want the instant solution, the quick fix, but some things cannot be disposed of so readily; they can only be accepted. God will keep us by His love. By His grace, we can rest in Him.

很多时候，我们都想要问题立刻解决、困难马上消除，但有些事就是必须循序渐进，按部就班来完成，我们只能接受。但上帝会以祂的慈爱保守我们，并藉着祂的恩典，使我们能在祂里面安稳歇息。

Prayer 祷告：

Dear Lord, it’s hard to endure times of illness and suffering. Comfort me and help me to trust You.

亲爱的主啊，病痛和苦难的日子艰辛难熬。求祢安慰我，并帮助我信靠祢。

Read: James 1:2-4 NIV

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

http://bible.com/111/jas.1.2-4.niv