DESPONDENCY AND DISCOURAGEMENT
Instead of counting your trials and indulging in dark forebodings, throw away such feelings by counting your past blessings if you can think of no present blessings. When Paul and Silas were in prison with their feet fastened in the stocks, the pain in their lacerated backs no doubt often reminded them of the cruel treatment they had received at the hands of their enemies; but they looked away from their trials, and, "counting all things joy," at the midnight hour they were rejoicing, singing songs, and praising God. The result was marvelous. Had they set themselves to complaining, they would have spent a miserable night.
A sister was once just at the point of throwing down her shield of faith and ceasing her efforts in serving the Lord, because of some difficulty which had arisen between her husband and one of the brethren, and in which in a sense she also was involved. She had always entertained implicit confidence in the brother, but now said she could never have confidence in him again. Had it been some worldly person, she could have overlooked the matter, but to have one of the brethren make such statements was more than she could endure. However, she relented, and before she could gain the necessary victory, she had to make a decision to stand true to God regardless of the source of the trial.
At this point is where many fail, not because the trial is greater than some other through which they have passed, but because it comes from an entirely unexpected source.