May we so trust the love of God, the faithfulness of God, that we may have courage to say, "Show me Thy way"; faith in the full delight of God to bless us, so that we may do His will, even if it be the loss of everything; our souls so intimate with God, that we may seek His way and nothing else.
If you have only got faith to walk in the path of God, you will find He has a plan and counsel through it all. If our hearts have courage to do God's will, all will turn out for blessing; we do not know how, but the secret thing is going on that faith has to get hold of. If I am walking in a straight path, the power of God is pushing me on; but if I am walking in a cross path, the power of God tumbles me over-it shows me that I am not going straight. It is a great thing to be in the path of God's will, for I have all the power of God at my disposal. If you walk in the path of God's will, God makes everything work together for your good. We cannot get a thing that is outside of the power of God, though it may be. He chastens us if crossing His path.
Only grace can accept what puts down self, and accept it unqualifiedly. The things that ruffle me show that my heart has got self in it.
We never lose if God puts us into trial, and we need never be afraid if there is faithfulness.
Are we really giving up self? The chain breaks in the link nearest our own hearts. Christ gave up everything for us; may He give us a sense of that love which makes us dear to Himself—abiding in it—making Him everything and self nothing.
When Satan is resisted, he knows flesh will not resist him; he has met Christ. Certain things have power over my heart and mind, things I cannot free myself from; Satan has his claw in my flesh; then I have to cry to the Lord.