"Why standest thou afar off, O Lord?" (Psalm 10:1)

　

God is "a very present help in trouble." (Ps.46:1)But He permits trouble to pursue us, as though He were indifferent to its overwhelming pressure, that we may be brought to the end of ourselves, and led to discover the treasure of darkness, the unmeasurable gains of tribulation. We may be sure that He who permits the suffering is with us in it. It may be that we shall see Him only when the trial is passing; but we must dare to believe that He never leaves the crucible. Our eyes are holden; and we cannot behold Him whom our soul loveth. It is dark━the bandages blind us so that we cannot see the form of o............