If you want to hear something that will make you feel good, consider this– God tells the truth about ourselves. He tells us we are vile, filthy, guilty sinners, deserving of a devil’s hell—yet He loves us! How does that make you feel? The truth can hurt, but it also can heal. God not only proclaims His love for us, He proved it at Calvary. He suffered, bled and died that we might be saved. And that ain’t no lie! Rather than loving lies, listen to God—“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.“(John 8:32).

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”–Philippians 1:23

Paul does not say, “I have a desire to depart, and to be in Heaven.” Oh no! It is far better than that.
Nor is it, “I have a desire to depart and to be free of troubles.”
No, it is, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ!”

“With Christ! With Christ!” This is honey in the mouth, and the more often you turn it over, the sweeter it becomes!

Heaven is not merely a place of golden streets, and pinnacles glittering with the jewels. No! That is not enough for the believer. It is, “With Christ!” All the pearly gates, and all the seraphic praises–fail to make the Heaven of our desire. Our Heaven is to “be with Christ!” It is not the glory of the place–it is the beauty of the person!

“With Christ!” Oh, how shall I illustrate it? It is the magnet that makes the soul tremble, and will not let it rest until it points true towards it.

“With Christ!” Yes, that is the distant haven on which the mariner gazes as the ship rocks and reels, as the timbers creak, and as the storm blast whistles through the rigging.

“With Christ!” These words are the trumpet note that awakens all the heroism in a Christian’s soul, and makes him willing to dash into the thickest part of the fray. He says, “I can fight my way through ten thousand foes, for on the other side it is with Christ!”– Archibald Brown

We get bitter because we think we deserve better. However, if we could see ourselves as we really are we would never feel deprived or mistreated. Believing we deserve nothing enables us to be content with anything. Knowing we all have it better than we deserve and that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights..“(James 1:17) encourages us to rejoice even in our troubles. When we fail to do this let us blame no one but ourselves.

“All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.“–Proverbs 15:15

There is a class of little annoyances such as we make for ourselves by a complaining, or an overly fastidious temperament. There are some who make such a fuss about trifles, tormenting themselves, and worrying others by a perpetual fault-finding and discontent — as every trifling irritation is magnified to a mountain — that all pleasure is spoiled by their presence!

It is a good rule in little things, as well as great things, that “what can’t be cured — should be endured” — and endured cheerfully!

I am not advocating slovenly and careless endurance of little vexations which may be remedied — let them be set right by all means, and the more quietly as well as quickly, the better. But I have observed people who were most ludicrously discomposed by trifles which neither they nor anyone else could remedy, and which should have been overlooked with a smile, if noticed at all.

There are many overly finicky people in the world, who groan over such trifling irritations. It is really ludicrous to hear the gravity with which some people will allude to the fact of the road being dusty, even alleging that as a reason for not going a walk; others are as much afraid of a shower; others of too much sunshine; some are terrified at the idea of being over-heated.

There is no end to these idle fancies and fears! If you laugh at these miserable people — then they think you are unfeeling. If you sympathize with them — then they multiply and increase their petty annoyances!

Let us all beware of making much of little irritations. Let us learn to laugh at them, remembering how very annoying such complaints are to others, as well as bothersome to ourselves.

A cheerful person who refuses to notice trifles or be aggravated by them — soon ceases to feel them! While to those who seem to find a perverse pleasure in dwelling on, and being daunted by them — these little discomforts will actually become real cares, and will eat out half the comfort of their lives!–Henrietta Wilson, 1852

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

There are many things in life we do not understand and we want an answer–yet God isn’t talking. Over and over again we ask “Why?”, but there is no explanation. We pray, but fail to receive what we want–does God not care? Indeed He does, but that doesn’t mean He gives us everything we want. J. R. Miller explained it like this: