God could have left that verse out of the Bible for the life of me. It makes great preaching but tough living. A person has to be a pretty mature Christian if he or she is to take pleasure in pains and problems!

The substitution of God's wisdom and strength for our wisdom and strength? Adam has a better idea than this!

We try to go forward and are knocked backward. Our "wisest" plans turn out to be foolishness. Our attempts to do good are viewed as having evil motives. We are sick and weak, and sometimes old. We don't have quite enough money to do what we want. Is it this way with you? Good! This may mean the Lord loves you. Right?

What are you going to do about it? You can become mean and bitter, blaming people and circumstances—and sometimes God. This happens to people, believe me.

Or you can go to the Lord Jesus about every tiny detail of your discomfiture. This is what you are supposed to do.

Maybe your plans still don't work. Maybe you're still being slandered. Maybe you are still sick, weak, and old. Maybe you still don't have quite enough money to waltz around like you want to.

But when you call on the Lord something happens. You get peace, for one thing. And in each and every area of concern you will find a touch of grace! All of this that is taking place will finally be seen to be the best that could have happened. No kidding!

What is God doing to you? He is teaching you to look to Him instead of to yourself.

"But I want to be me!" So do a lot of other babies.

You were not created to be alone. You were created to be the dwelling place of God. In order to make you the happy dwelling place of God, God has to keep on frustrating your ability to be alone, to do things by yourself.

Maybe you don't like the idea of being part of God. Someone said (I think it was C. S. Lewis) that people would rather rule in the cardboard shacks of Hell than serve in the courts of Heaven. Is this really what you want? I don't think so.

We were made to be His dwelling place. Until we are, our life is grossly incomplete. We end up disillusioned and incontinent, no eternal life, vanishing protoplasm.

The scientists are right. We are only intelligent animals.

That is, until Christ breathes eternal life into us. Then the heights of glory and fruitfulness we can attain are limited only by our willingness to be pruned.

What can we do for you?

"Open up the grave so you may rest in peace?"

Or will you open up the everlasting doors of your heart and let the King of Glory come in?

You may be nine or ninety. It's not too early or too late. BE WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE!