When railing accusations and taunts more cruel than spears and arrows have fallen upon you, the influence of the Spirit of God upon your heart has led you to speak calmly, dispassionately. It was not in nature to do this. It was the fruit of the Spirit of God. It was the grace of God which strengthened your faith amid all the heartsicknesses of hope deferred. Grace fortified you for the warfare and hardships, and brought you through conqueror. Grace taught you to pray, to love and trust, notwithstanding your unfavorable surroundings. As you repeatedly realized that your prayers were answered in a special manner, you did not feel that it was because of any merit in yourself, but because of your great need. Your necessity was God’s opportunity. Your life in those days of trial was to trust in God. And the manifestations of His special deliverance when in most trying places were like the oasis in the desert to the faint and weary traveler. {2T 270.1}

Når udskældende anklager og mere forbandet hån end spyd og pile er faldet ned over dig, har påvirkningen fra Guds Ånd på dit hjerte ledt dig til at tale roligt og besindigt. Det var ikke naturligt at gøre sådan. Det var frugten af Guds Ånd. Det var Guds nåde som styrkede din tro iblandt alle hjertesygdomme af udskudte håb. Nåden styrkede dig til krigen og strabadserne og bragte dig til sejr. Nåden lærte dig at bede, at elske og have tillid, upåagtet dine ugunstige omgivelser. Idet du gentagne gange har erkendt at dine bønner er besvaret på en særlig måde, følte du ikke det var på grund af selvfortjeneste, men på grund af dit store behov. Din nød var Guds anledning. Dit liv i de trængselsdage var at stole Gud. Og tilkendegivelserne for hans særlige udfrielse fra de vanskeligste steder var ligesom oaser i ørknen for den sultne og trætte rejsende.