双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：8 月 14 日 试炼功课

8 月 14 日

试炼功课

我想，现在的苦楚，若比起将来要显于我们的荣耀，就不足介意了。 

罗马书 8:18

苦难可以成为磨炼和洁净的方法。许多人的生命从苦难的熔炉中走出来，变得更美丽、更有用。如果范妮·克罗斯比没有经受盲眼的折磨，我们可能永远听不到她的诗歌。如果乔治·马得胜没有经历苦难的磨练，就不会为世人留下他那不朽的歌曲《不忍丢弃我的大爱》。《哈利路亚》大合唱是亨德尔在贫困潦倒、身体右侧瘫痪所时创作的。

约伯承受了几乎无人能忍受的苦难之后，他能说：“然而祂知道我所行的路；祂试炼我之后，我必如精金。”（约伯记23:10）。

苦难是为了让我们变得更坚强，好使我们在基督里长进。

有一天，一位医生告诉我，一生都在与疾病抗争的人，比一生从未生过病的人更能抵抗疾病。他说：“那些从未生过病的人反而死得更快。”

大卫说：“我未受苦以先，走迷了路；现在却遵守祢的话。”（诗篇119:67）在神给我们的试炼中，我们可不断地学习功课。

今日祷告：

天父，藉着祢的试炼教导我，帮助我侍奉祢和祢的福音；用祢的灵充满我，使我更有能力去经历试炼。祷告奉耶稣的名，阿们。

August 14

TEACHING BY TRIALS

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18 NIV

Affliction can be a means of refining and of purification. Many a life has come forth from the furnace of affliction more beautiful and more useful. We might never have had the songs of Fanny Crosby had she not been afflicted with blindness. George Matheson would never have given the world his immortal songs, “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go,” had it not been for his passing through the furnace of affliction. The “Hallelujah Chorus” was written by Handel when he was poverty-stricken and suffering from a paralyzed right side and right arm.

Job, who was called upon to suffer as few men have suffered, said, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

Affliction may also be for our strengthening and Christian development.

The other day a doctor told me that the man who had fought disease all of his life would be better able to resist it than the man who had never been sick a day in his life. “It’s the fellows who have never been sick who die in a hurry.” He said.

David said, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word” (Psalm 119:67). We learn through the trials we are called upon to bear.

Pray for the Day:

Father, teach me through Your trials, and help me to serve You—and Your Gospel—and so to experience the trials for good reason. Fill me with Your Spirit; in Jesus’ Name, Amen.