Welcome to the Feminine Podcast.

This is Nancy Wilson.

Thanks for joining me today.

A couple of days ago, I was struck by something I have no doubt read before and a quote by Samuel

Rutherford.

He was talking about how some lose their zeal for the Lord when they encounter troubles.

He says these people are going to have to answer to God for the abuse of many good crosses

and rich afflictions, lost without the quiet fruit of righteousness.

I really love this biblical perspective.

He calls a trial, a good cross, and a rich affliction.

I picture a Christian woman rolling up her sleeves and rubbing her hands together and

saying, this is a rich affliction and a good cross you have sent me, Lord, help me now

to turn a great prophet on it for your glory and my good.

This is not the way our flesh reacts to troubles.

We tend to shrink back with disappointment or fear.

It is like leaving fruit on the ground or rot rather than picking it up and turning it

into something delicious.

Our faith teaches us to read the story God is writing with eyes that have been opened,

spiritualized.

So we see trouble as rich affliction, meaning there is much spiritual gain to be gotten

from this one.

It is a good cross, meaning we can expect much blessing to come from this one.

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