Our father knows what's best for us,
so why should we complain?
We always want the sunshine,
but He knows there must be rain.
We love the sound of laughter
and the merriment of cheer,
but our hearts would lose their tenderness
if we never shed a tear.
Our father tests us often
with suffering and with sorrow,
He test us not to punish us
but to help us with tomorrow.
For growing trees are strengthened
when they withstand the storm,
and the sharp cut of a chisel
gives the marble grace and form.
God never hurts us needlessly,
and He never wastes our pain
for every loss He sends to us
is followed by rich gain.
And when we count the blessings
that God has so freely sent,
we will find no cause for murmuring
and no time to lament.
For our father loves His children,
and to Him all things are plain,
so He never sends us pleasure
when the soul's deep need is pain.
So whenever we are troubeled
and when everything goes wrong,
it is just God working in us
to make our spirits strong.
Helen Steiner Rice
