Tozer for Tuesday

We say, “O, God, give me patience.” God does not give us patience as we might go and buy a can of beans at the grocery store. He gives us patience by letting us suffer tribulations. Nobody likes that. We say, “Lord, I wish I could do it differently.” But God knows best, after all. If He put tribulation before you and said He will give you patience by giving you a little trouble along the way, wouldn’t you take a little trouble?

You say, “Lord, I want all my highways paved.” The Lord says, “I’m sorry, I can’t accommodate you. I’m going to let you run over some bumps occasionally, so you will have patience.” You do not like the bumps, but you like the patience, and if you want the patience, you will have to take the bumps.—A.W. Tozer, Reclaiming Christianity, 27