An Eighth Plea
Another reasoning that murmuring hearts have is this, They think that if the affliction were any other than it is, then they would be more contented.
First, you must know that we are not to choose our own rod that God shall beat us with.
Secondly, it may be if it were any other than it is, it were not so fit for you as this is; it may be therefore God chooses it because it is the most cross to you, as seeing it most suitable for the purging out of that humor that is in you. If a patient comes to take medicine and finds himself sick by it, shall he say, "Oh! if it were any other potion I could bear it"? It may be if it were any other than it is it would not fit your disease; yes, if it did not work as it does it would not fit your disease. So when you say of an affliction, "If it were any other than it is you could bear it," do but answer yourself with this: it may be if it were any other than it is it would not be fit for me, it would not hit right to that sinful humor that there is in my soul, and therefore God sees this to be the fittest and the most suitable for me.
Thirdly, know that this is the excellency of grace in a Christian to be fitted for any condition, not only to say, if it were this or that, but if it be any. As now, a mariner if he has skill he would not say, if it were any other wind but this, if the wind did blow in any point but this, I could tell how to manage my ship, I could show skill in other points but not in this. Would not mariners laugh at such a one? It would be a shame for him to say that he has skill in any other points but this. So it should be a shame for a Christian to say that he has skill in any other affliction but this: a Christian should be able to manage his ship if the wind blows any way; to guide his soul any way.
The fourth and last answer is this: Know that the Lord has rewards and crowns for all graces, and for the honoring them in all conditions. It may be in such a way as you think you could honor God, God has a crown for that, and God has another crown to set upon the heads of those that honor Him in such a way as this is. Yes, He has several sorts of crowns (as I may so say) in Heaven, and those crowns He must put upon somebody's head, and therefore He exercises you in variety of conditions, that so you might have the several rewards and crowns that God has to reward and crown those that are faithful in several conditions.
Another reasoning of murmuring hearts is this: they think that if the affliction were any other kind than it is, they could be more content.
First, you must understand that we are not the ones who choose the rod God uses to discipline us.
Second, if the affliction were any other, it might not be as suited to you as this one is. God may have chosen this particular affliction because it is the most contrary to your nature — and therefore the most fitted to purge out the disordered tendency in you. If a patient takes medicine and becomes sick from it, shall he say, "Oh, if it were any other medicine I could bear it"? Perhaps any other medicine would not treat his illness. Perhaps if it did not affect him this way, it would not address his condition at all. So when you say of an affliction, "If it were anything other than this I could bear it" — answer yourself with this: it may be that any other affliction would not suit me. It would not strike at the particular disordered tendency in my soul. God sees this one as the most fitting and the most suited to me.
Third, the excellence of grace in a Christian is to be fitted for any condition — not to say, "I could manage if it were this or that," but to be able to manage whatever it is. A skilled sailor would not say: "If the wind were blowing in any other direction, I could manage my ship — I can handle any wind but this." Other sailors would laugh at him. It would be a disgrace to claim skill in every situation except this one. In the same way, it should be a shame for a Christian to say he can manage any affliction but this one. A Christian should be able to steer his ship whichever way the wind blows — to guide his soul through any condition.
The fourth and final answer is this: the Lord has rewards and crowns for every kind of grace and for honoring Him in every kind of condition. Perhaps in the particular way you think you could honor God, God has a crown for that. But God also has a different crown to place on the heads of those who honor Him in exactly the kind of condition you are in now. He has, so to speak, different kinds of crowns in heaven — and those crowns must go on somebody's head. Therefore He places His people in a variety of conditions, so that they may receive the various rewards He has prepared for those who are faithful in each one.
