He will put us into the fire!',

Back to The Pastor's Evening Visit

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"You have tried me." Psalm 17:3

The Lord tries the righteous. Trials reveal, prove, and brighten his character. Every trial . . .
is necessary for our good;
is ordained by eternal love; and
is continued just as long as requisite—but not one moment longer. 

Every saint needs trials—and every saint is tried. 

If the Lord intends to make us holy—He will put us into the fire! 
"I have tried you in the furnace of affliction!" Isaiah 48:10. 

Every time we pray for holiness—we pray for trials!

Trials . . .
enhance the value of the promises,
endear the throne of grace,
render the ordinances profitable, and
make the Saviour exceedingly precious!

In trials we . . . 
learn to read our own hearts,
see the insufficiency of the world,
humble ourselves before our God, and
look with a longing eye to our glorious eternity. 

The tried Christian is likely to be a stable Christian. Very few who walk in a smooth path are either remarkably spiritual, extensively useful, or very happy. Trials, like the frosts of winter, prepare our hearts to receive the good seed of the Word—and then we bring forth fruit with patience.

"When He has tried me—I will come forth as gold!" Job 23:10