Suffering can give us opportunities to witness. The world is a gigantic hospital; nowhere is there a greater chance to see the peace and joy of the Lord than when the journey through the valley is the darkest.

The Bible teaches that we are to be patient in suffering. Tears become telescopes to heaven, bringing eternity a little closer.

Discouragement is the opposite of faith. It is Satan's device to thwart the work of God in your life.

Without the clouds we wouldn't be shielded from the burning sun. Without the clouds there would be no lavish sunsets, no beneficial rain, no beautiful landscapes. The same is true with life's clouds. When hard times come we easily get discouraged. But behind the clouds God is still present, and can even use them to water our souls with unexpected blessings. Longfellow once wrote: "Be still, sad heart, and cease repining; behind the clouds is the sun still shining.

Christians who are strong in the faith grow as they accept whatever God allows to enter their lives.

A muscle becomes weak if it is not used. To become strong, a muscle must push against something.

Without dark clouds in our lives we would never know the joy of sunshine. We can become callous and unteachable if we do not learn from pain.

God is in control. He may not take away trials or make detours for us, but He strengthens us through them.

Persecution, whether it is physical, social, or mental, is one of the worst types of pain, but those who persecute us are to be the objects of our prayers.

The Bible is intensely practical, and one of the reasons God gave it to us is so we'll be better prepared to deal with life's problems and temptations. All too often we respond to these in ways that don't reflect Christ . . .when we do that, Satan is the winner and the cause of Christ suffers.

Don't let the acids of bitterness eat away inside. Learn the secret of trusting Christ in every circumstance.

Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.