The Ministry of the Night
Let us not forget what the sorrow has done for us while it lasted; and what the night has been, though dark and sad. It has been a night of grief, yet a night of blessing; a night in which there may have been many things which we could wish forgotten, yet many more which we should wish to be remembered forever... It was then that the Lord drew near, and the world was displaced, and self was smitten, and our will conquered, and faith grew, and hope became brighter, and the things that are unseen were felt to be real and true; Jerusalem above was seen by us as our proper home.
--Horatius Bonar
I have loved this quote since the first time you posted it - and now I have a friend whose husband has cancer who loves it, too. I shared it with her just after his diagnosis. It's such a different perspective from our typical attitude of "this too, will pass" or "when will this be over???" The idea that we should not forget what the sorrow has done for us, when the Lord drew near and the world was displaced - it's really powerful. Thanks again, Marlo.
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