Are we partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Are we prepared for God to stamp out our personal ambitions? Are we prepared for God to destroy our individual decisions by supernaturally transforming them? It will mean not knowing why God is taking us that way, because knowing would make us spiritually proud. We never realize at the time what God is putting us through— we go through it more or less without understanding. Then suddenly we come to a place of enlightenment, and realize— "God has strengthened me and I didn’t even know it!"

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Funny, I was just thinking along this way today. I am always questioning myself about whether or not I am of any use to God as a teacher. I don't see any impact in my labors sometimes. Because I spend a majority of my waking hours with these students, I feel there should be fruit in my labors. It's convicting to remember that "I" am not the one at work here, God is.