_Thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me_.–ISA. xliv. 21.

Oh, give Thy servant patience to be still, And bear Thy will; Courage to venture wholly on the arm That will not harm; The wisdom that will never let me stray Out of my way; The love, that, now afflicting, knoweth best When I should rest.
J. M. NEALE.
Supposing that you were never to be set free from such trials, what would you do? You would say to God, “I am Thine–if my trials are acceptable to Thee, give me more and more.” I have full confidence that this is what you would say, and then you would not think more of it–at any rate, you would not be anxious. Well, do the same now. Make friends with your trials, as though you were always to live together; and you will see that when you cease to take thought for your own deliverance, God will take thought for you; and when you cease to help yourself eagerly, He will help you.
ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.
Ah, if you knew what peace there is in an accepted sorrow!
MADAME GUYON.