II Corinthians 8:2

Joy is not gush; Joy is not jolliness. Joy is simply perfect acquiescence in God’s will, because the soul delights itself in God Himself. “I delight to do thy will,” said Jesus, though the cup was the Cross, in such agony as no man knew. It cost Him blood. Oh, take the Fatherhood of God in the blessed Son the Savior, and by the Holy Ghost; rejoice in the will of God, and nothing else. Bow down your heads and your hearts before God, and let the will, the blessed will of God, be done. PREBENDARY WEBB-PEPLOE

“Joy and deep poverty!” Truly strange blending. Fullness and emptiness! Contrasting themes. Spiritual richness and temporal leanness! None but the Spirit could wed such extremes.

We . . . rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.—I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.—Believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

In a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.—Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out.

Behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!