What could be a greater privilege than to listen to the voice of God, and be granted by God himself the ears to hear?
John PiperWe belittle God when we go through the outward motions of worship and take no pleasure in His person.
John PiperThe suffering of sickness and the suffering of persecution have this in common: they are both intended by Satan for the destruction of our faith, and governed by God for the purifying of our faith... Christ sovereignly accomplishes His loving, purifying purpose, by overruling Satan's destructive attempts. Satan is always aiming to destroy our faith; but Christ magnifies His power in weakness.
John Piper