ing the burden in God's
hand without any choosing. We are always safe when we let God guide us
in all our ways.

"Ill that he blesses is our good,
And unblest good is ill;
And all is right that seems most wrong,
If it be his sweet will."

Many of the richest possibilities of prayer lie beyond valleys of pain
and sorrow. The best things of life cannot be gotten save at sore
cost. When we pray for more holiness, we do not know what we are
asking for; at least we do not know the price we must pay to get that
which we ask. Our "Nearer, my God, to thee," must be conditioned by,
and often can come only through,

"E'en though it be a cross,
That raiseth me."

Not only are the spiritual things the best things, but many times the
spiritual things can be grasped only by letting go and losing out of
our hands the earthly things we would love to keep. God loves us too
much to grant our prayers for comfort and relief, even when we make
them, if he can do it only at spiritual loss to us. He would rather
let it be hard for us to live if there is blessing in the hardness,
than make it easy for us at the cost of the blessing.

There are certain singing-birds that never learn to sing until their
cages are darkened. Would it be true kindness to keep these birds
always in the sunshine? There are human hearts that never learn to
sing the song of faith and peace and love, until they enter the
darkness of trial. Would it be true love for these if God would hear
their prayers for the removal of their pain? We dare not plead,
therefore, save with utmost diffidence and submission, that God would
remove the cross of suffering.

"Thou canst not tell
How rich a dowry sorrow gives the soul,
How firm a faith and eagle-sight of God."

Does God answer prayers? "I have been praying for one thing for
years," says one, "and it has not come yet." God has many ways of
answering. Sometimes he delays that he may give a better, fuller
answer. A poor woman stood at a vineyard gate, and looked over into
the vineyard. "Would you like some grapes?" asked the proprietor, who
was within. "I should be very thankful," replied the woman. "Then
bring your basket." Quickly the basket was brought to the gate and
passed in. The owner took it and was gone a long time among the vines,
till the woman became discouraged, thinking he was not coming again.
At last he returned with the basket heaped full. "