Excerpt taken from William Wilberforce’s book Real Christianity (p. 126).  Wilberforce wrote this in the late 1700’s while a part of British Parliament and experiencing severe health problems.  Wilberforce was instrumental in stopping the brutal slave trade throughout the British Empire.

In moments of clarity, we are reminded that Jesus possessed little, yet He never complained.  And if we findourselves in circumstances of greater difficulty than the normal ups and downs of daily life, we deal with these difficulties through the filter of our vision of Christ on the cross.  What He suffered for our benefit outweighs almost anything we must deal with.  We face challenges and difficulties as part of God’s plans and purposes for our life, knowing that in the midst of difficulty, He is there.  We have confidence that even though we might not understand everything that happens to us, God will work all things out in a way that accomplishes His purposes.  If this means we go through disappointment, illness, shame or poverty, we are able to trust Christ.  He is the One who went before and will bring us through. In ways beyond comprehension, there is a sense of God’s grace and peace in the midst of difficulty.