The path of descent is the path of transformation. Darkness, failure, relapse, death, and woundedness are our primary teachers, rather than ideas or doctrines.

Difficulties come into our lives to develop us. Every storm is a school. Every trial is a teacher. Every experience is an education.

Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.

Let us look at every person who annoys or agitates us, as God's means of grace, God's instrument for our purification, for the working out of the humility Jesus our Life breathes within us.

In the light of His example, we can prove that suffering is to God's child the token of the Father's love and the channel of His richest blessing.

Prosperity is too apt to prevent us from examining our conduct; but adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is most beneficial to us.

To be shocked at how deeply rejection hurts is to ignore what acceptance involves. We must never allow our suffering to be compounded by suggestions that there is something odd in suffering so deeply. There would be something amiss if we didn't.

YOU GROW MORE FROM THE MOST CHALLENGING OFFENSES—THE ONES FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED.

These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters are not sign that God hath forsaken you, but are sent to try you, whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.

The first kind of problems are the ones life sends upon you to test you, to make you humble or make you longsuffering, or whatever you may need.

Some problems build character. You cannot grow without this kind of problem, any more than you can build muscles without exercise.

God has so ordained and governed the Christian church that the cross has been the preparation for victory, and death the way to life.