A Christian soldier was in a town about 60 miles south of Paris, France in the mid 50’s. As he was walking along the sidewalk, he noticed a sheet of paper being carried by the wind. He reached for it and found a message of challenge and comfort to his heart, but no name on it. In heaven there will be no anonymous person for all will be revealed, showing out God’s wonderful ways in ordering all things according to the counsel of His own will. In the year 2000 this dear soldier, now in the Lord’s army, found this paper among his things and shared it with us. We felt this should be published for the encouragement of others also, realizing it no doubt was written as the fruit of enduring deep suffering by one of the Lord’s own hidden ones, who, though “unknown” to us, is “well known” to Him.
“Now thanks be unto that God Who always leads us forth to triumph with the Anointed One, and Who diffuses by us the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.” 2 Cor. 2:1414Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14). (Literal Translation)
When you are forgotten or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you smile inwardly, glorying in the insult or the oversight, because thereby counted worthy to suffer with Christ—that is victory.
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your taste offended, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you take it all in patient, loving silence—that is victory.
When you are content with any food, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God—that is victory.
When you can lovingly and patiently deal with any disorder, any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance—that is victory.
When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or to record your own good words, or to itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown—that is victory.
When you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it—that is victory.
When, like Paul, you can throw all your suffering on Jesus, thus converting it into a means of knowing His overcoming grace; and can say from a surrendered heart, “most gladly,” therefore, do “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake”—that is victory. (2 Cor. 12:7-107And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7‑10).)
To love equally as much the grace that comes through being “instructed how to be hungry” and to suffer, as you love the faith required to know how to be “full” and to abound in health—that is victory. (Phil. 4:1212I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12))
When death and life are both alike to you through Christ, and to do His perfect will, you delight not more in one than the other—that is victory; for, through Him you may become able to say, “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” (Phil. 1:2020According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (Philippians 1:20); I Cor 15:54.)