Those who wait upon the Lord shall obtain a marvelous addition to their resources: they shall obtain wings! They become endowed with power to rise above things. Men who do not soar always have small views of things.

Wings are required for breadth of view. The wing-life is characterized by a sense of proportion. To see things aright, we must get away from them. An affliction looked at from the lowlands may be stupendous; looked at from the heights, it may appear little or nothing. These “light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). What a breadth of view!

And here is another great quotation: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

This is a bird’s-eye view. It sees life as a whole. How mighty the bird from which the picture is taken! “Like eagles!” What strength of wing! Such is to be ours if we wait upon the Lord. We shall be able to soar above disappointment—no matter how great—and to wing our way into the very presence of God. Let us live the wing-life!

The little bird sat on a slender limb, Upward swinging, And though wind and rain were rough with him, Still kept singing.

“O little bird, quick, seek out your nest!” I could not keep from calling; “The bleak winds tear your tender breast, Your tiny feet are falling.”

“More need for song When things go wrong, I was not meant for crying; No fear for me,” He piped with glee, “My wings are made for flying!”

My heart had been dark as the stormy sky. In my sorrow, With the weight of troubles long passed by, And the morrow.

“O little bird, sing!” I cried once more, “The sun will soon be shining. See, there’s a rainbow arching o’er The storm cloud’s silver lining.”

I, too, will sing Through everything; It will teach blessing double; Nor yet forget. When rude winds fret, To fly above my trouble.

SELECTED Wing-power gives us the gift of soaring, and we see how things are related one to another. Wide soaring gives wide seeing!

There is a limit to our affliction. God sends it and then removes it. Do you complain, saying , “When will this end?” May we quietly wait and patiently endure the will of the Lord till He comes. Our Father takes away the rod when His purpose in using it is fully accomplished.

If the affliction is sent to test us so that our words would glorify God, it will only end once He has caused us to testify to His praise and honor . In fact, we would not want the difficulty to depart until God has removed from us all the honor we can yield to Him.

Today things may become “completely calm” (Matthew 8:26). Who knows how soon these raging waves will give way to a sea of glass with seagulls sitting on the gentle swells?

After a long ordeal, the threshing tool is on its hook, and the wheat has been gathered into the barn. Before much time has passed, we may be just as happy as we are sorrowful now .

It is not difficult for the Lord to turn night into day. He who sends the clouds can just as easily clear the skies. Let us be encouraged— things are better down the road. Let us sing God’s praises in anticipation of things to come. CHARLES H. SPURGEON

“The Lord of the harvest” (Luke 10:2) is not always threshing us. His trials are only for a season, and the showers soon pass. “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Trials do serve their purpose.

Even the fact that we face a trial proves there is something very precious to our Lord in us, or else He would not spend so much time and energy on us. Christ would not test us if He did not see the precious metal of faith mingled with the rocky core of our nature, and it is to refine us into purity and beauty that He forces us through the fiery ordeal.

Be patient, O sufferer! The result of the Refiner’s fire will more than compensate for our trials, once we see the “eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Just to hear His commendation, “Well done” (Matthew 25:21); to be honored before the holy angels; to be glorified in Christ, so that I may reflect His glory back to Him—ah! that will be more than enough reward for all my trials. TRIED BY FIRE

Just as the weights of a grandfather clock, or the stabilizers in a ship, are necessary for them to work properly, so are troubles to the soul. The sweetest perfumes are obtained only through tremendous pressure, the fairest flowers grow on the most isolated and snowy peaks, the most beautiful gems are those that have suffered the longest at the jeweler’s wheel, and the most magnificent statues have endured the most blows from the chisel. All of these, however, are subject to God’s law. Nothing happens that has not been appointed with consummate care and foresight. DAILY DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY

The question is often asked, “Why is human life drenched in so much blood and soaked with so many tears?” The answer is found in the word “achieving,” for these “momentary troubles are achieving for us” something very precious. They are teaching us not only the way to victory but, better still, the law of victory—there is a reward for every sorrow, and the sorrow itself produces the reward.

It is the very truth expressed in this dear old hymn, written by Sarah Adams in 1840: Nearer my God to Thee, nearer to Thee, E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me.

Joy sometimes needs pain to give it birth. Fanny Crosby was a wonderful American hymn writer who lived from 1820 to 1915 and who wrote more than two thousand hymns. Yet she could never have written the beautiful words “I shall see Him face to face” if not for the fact that she had never gazed upon green fields, evening sunsets, nor even the twinkle in her mother’s eye. It was the loss of her own vision that helped her to gain her remarkable spiritual discernment and insight.

It is comforting to know that sorrow stays only for the night and then takes its leave in the morning. And a thunderstorm is very brief when compared to a long summer day. Remember, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

SONGS IN THE NIGHT

There is a peace that springs soon after sorrow, Of hopes surrendered, not of hope fulfilled; A peace that does not look upon tomorrow, But calmly on the storm that it has stilled.

A peace that lives not now in joy’s excesses, Nor in the happy life of love secure; But in the unerring strength the heart possesses, Of conflicts won while learning to endure.

A peace there is, in sacrifice secluded, A life subdued, from will and passion free; It’s not the peace that over Eden brooded, But that which triumphed in Gethsemane.

They took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified him.—The bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.—The fellowship of his sufferings.

Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings: that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.—Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Whosoever . . . shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.—He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.—Praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

When I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.—Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.—Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

We having the same spirit of faith.

As chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Here have we no continuing city.—Ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.—There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened.—God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.—Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

We walk by faith, not by sight.

We faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.

No chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.—The fruit of the Spirit.

He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

Though [Jesus] were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.—In all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.—Ye thought evil against me: but God meant it unto good.

All things are yours; whether . . . the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.—All things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.