Letter 13

To the Same.

To the Same Person.

I am in pain to see you suffer so long. What gives me some ease and sweetens the feelings I have for your griefs is, that they are proofs of GOD'S love towards you. See them in that view and you will bear them more easily. As your case is, it is my opinion that you should leave off human remedies, and resign yourself entirely to the providence of GOD: perhaps He stays only for that resignation and a perfect trust in Him to cure you. Since, notwithstanding all your cares, physic has hitherto proved unsuccessful, and your malady still increases, it will not be tempting GOD to abandon yourself in His hands, and expect all from Him.

It pains me to see you suffer for so long. What gives me some comfort and eases my sorrow is that your sufferings are proof of God’s love for you. See them that way, and you will bear them more easily. In your situation, I think you should stop seeking human remedies and entrust yourself entirely to God’s care. Perhaps he is only waiting for you to surrender and trust him completely before he cures you. Despite all your efforts, medicine has so far failed, and your illness continues to worsen. So it would not be testing God to place yourself in his hands and expect everything from him.

I told you in my last that He sometimes permits bodily diseases to cure the distempers of the soul. Have courage then: make a virtue of necessity. Ask of GOD, not deliverance from your pains, but strength to bear resolutely, for the love of Him, all that He should please, and as long as He shall please.

In my last letter, I told you that God sometimes allows bodily illnesses to cure sicknesses of the soul. So take courage and make the best of what you must endure. Ask God not to free you from your pain, but to give you strength to bear it resolutely. Bear all that he chooses, for as long as he chooses, out of love for him.

Such prayers, indeed, are a little hard to nature, but most acceptable to GOD, and sweet to those that love Him. Love sweetens pains; and when one loves GOD, one suffers for His sake with joy and courage. Do you so, I beseech you: comfort yourself with Him, who is the only Physician of all our maladies. He is the FATHER of the afflicted, always ready to help us. He loves us infinitely more than we imagine. Love Him, then, and seek no consolation elsewhere. I hope you will soon receive it. Adieu. I will help you with my prayers, poor as they are, and shall always be, in our LORD Yours, &c.

Such prayers are indeed a little difficult for us by nature, but they are very pleasing to God. They are also sweet to those who love him. Love makes pain easier to bear. When we love God, we suffer for his sake with joy and courage. Please do the same. Find comfort in him, the only physician who can heal all our ailments. He is the Father of those who suffer, always ready to help us. He loves us infinitely more than we imagine. So love him and seek comfort nowhere else. I hope you will soon receive it. Goodbye. I will support you with my prayers, poor as they are, and will always remain yours in our Lord.