He Lowers to Raise

This Spurgeon devotional struck a chord with me this morning.
Maybe it will bless you too.

"Thy LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: 

He bringeth low, and lifteth up" (1 Samuel 2:7).

     
ll my changes come from Him who never changes.

 If I had grown rich, I should have seen His hand in it, 

and I should have praised Him; 

let me equally see His hand if I am made poor, 

and let me as heartily praise Him. 

When we go down in the world, it is of the LORD, 

and so we may take it patiently: 

when we rise in the world, it is of the LORD, 

and we may accept it thankfully.

 In any case, the LORD hath done it, and it is
well.
            It seems that Jehovah's way

 is to lower those whom He means to
raise and to strip those whom He intends to clothe.

 If it is His way, it is the wisest and best way.

 If I am now enduring the bringing low, I may well rejoice, 

because I see in it the preface to the lifting up.
The more we are humbled by grace, the more we shall be exalted in
glory. That impoverishment which will be overruled for our enrichment
is to be welcomed.
            O LORD, Thou has taken me down of late and made me feel my
insignificance and sin. It is not a pleasant experience, but I pray
Thee make it a profitable one to me. Oh, that Thou wouldst thus fit me
to bear a greater weight of delight and of usefulness; and when I am
ready for it, then grant it to me, for Christ's sake! Amen.