God can build godly qualities in our lives, if only we’d realize that suffering is one of the major tools He uses to do this. Sometimes we even stop blaming the demons for our troubles, and begin to murmur about God. We forget that our Lord was a carpenter. He wants to chisel away our rough edges and create something beautiful. But the minute things start getting tough, we complain– “God, this hurts too much!.” We try to detour the Holy Spirit from His work. God asks us, “Do you love me?” We say, “Yes.” Then God asks, “Do you trust me?” and we say, “Well, yes, of course– but you’re not going to work on my selfishness or greed, or my impatience and anger, are you?” And, we limp along with the same old sins, year after year. We won’t forgive somebody for what they did in the past. We can’t figure out why we’re so full of bitterness– so God sends more trials, to reveal our bitter hearts. Again and again God brings us back to our hidden sin. He wants to reveal the “old man” to us, so that we can let him die, and then come alive in God. He wants us to say, “God, I don’t care anymore. I want Your life and Your healing more than I want my own way. I’ll lie still and endure this.” When we release ourselves to Him, He’s able to finish the job quickly.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:3-5
~Keith Green, A Cry in the Wilderness
Faithful Unto Death 