t was a hindrance to my faith; but it has ceased to
be so, for I have learned not to ask why, but to have faith in God and
wait and trust."

Learning to wait and trust is the secret. This gives God the opportunity
to bring out that which is best. How could we know the virtue of patience
if no one had a trial of his patience? If we looked only at the trial,
where would be the blessing? We often must look beyond the things that
first appear. We must often look at "the things which are not seen" that
we may have courage to meet the things that are seen. It is when we do
this that our trials become blessings; our stumbling-stones,
stepping-stones.

When we face things courageously and hold to our course steadily through
the storm, or when we bear opposition and trials patiently and hold fast
our integrity through temptation, it is then that we mount up by means of
these very things to a loftier height and a broader outlook. When we try
to lift up ourselves by expending our forces upon ourselves, we make but
little progress. How hard it is to keep good resolutions! How hard it is
to make ourselves better or stronger by the study of abstract goodness or
by wishing ourselves something else than we are! We may look to the
heights above us and long to be there; we may think of the noble outlook
were we there, but there is but one way to attain those heights--by the
slow, laborious, and wearisome process of climbing; and the things upon
which we must set our feet are the difficulties that we have overcome.

It is easy to go down toward the valley of discouragement. It takes no
effort to let a thing weigh us down. We can easily let our courage and our
confidence slip if we will. It is sometimes easier to go down-hill than it
is to stop in our going. But in life it is the up-hill going that counts.
Every time you overcome or trust clear through to victory, you have made
progress upward. If you see a trial coming, do not shrink and do not fear.
Do not say, "Oh, how shall I bear it!"

God designs that your trials shall help you, not hinder you. He could keep
you from having them if it were wise; but he sees that you need them, yes,
that you must have them, or you will never rise above your present level.
Look for the good in them; count them blessings. Meet them bravely, and
you will find them in truth stepping-stones, not stumbling-stones.

TALK THIRTY-EIGHT. USE WHAT YOU HAVE

Few people really are and do their best.