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If we were well accustomed to the practice of the presence
of God, bodily discomforts would be greatly alleviated. God often
permits us to suffer a little to purify our souls and oblige us to
stay close to Him.
Take courage. Offer Him your pain and pray to Him for strength to
endure them. Above all, get in the habit of often thinking of God,
and forget Him the least you can. Adore Him in your infirmities.
Offer yourself to Him from time to time. And, in the height of
your sufferings, humbly and affectionately beseech Him (as a child
his father) to make you conformable to His holy will. I shall
endeavor to assist you with my poor prayers.
God has many ways of drawing us to Himself. He sometimes seems to
hide Himself from us. But faith alone ought to be our support.
Faith is the foundation of our confidence. We must put all our
faith in God. He will not fail us in time of need. I do not know
how God will dispose of me but I am always happy. All the world
suffers and I, who deserve the severest discipline, feel joys so
continual and great that I can scarcely contain them.
I would willingly ask God for a part of your sufferings. I know my
weakness is so great that if He left me one moment to myself, I
would be the most wretched man alive. And yet, I do not know how
He could leave me alone because faith gives me as strong a
conviction as reason. He never forsakes us until we have first
forsaken Him. Let us fear to leave Him. Let us always be with Him.
Let us live and die in His presence. Do pray for me, as I pray for
you.
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