Joel Osteen Quotes

Difficult times don't come your way just so you can survive them; God uses these times in your life to form and refine you.

No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.

Problems patiently endured will work for our spiritual perfecting.

Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering and self-mastery.

Bad times make good people, as mountainous pressures make diamonds or as fire tempers steel.

In the heroic effort of the handcart pioneers, we learn a great truth. All must pass through a refiner’s fire, and the insignificant and unimportant in our lives can melt away like dross and make our faith bright, intact, and strong. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful. Yet this is part of the purging to become acquainted with God.

In difficult times, we're not supposed to quit believing; we're not supposed to quit growing.

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.

It's the trials and tribulations that really test a person, and coming through those difficulties is what shapes a person's character.

As a believer, I know that Jesus Christ has a plan and it's not going to be my plan. It's not always succeeding and looking back it's amazing looking back to see how God works in mysterious ways, not always good ways, rough ways but those rough times, those rough patches, and those swamps and all those things that I went through are looking back, were such an incredible life lessons for me not only to shape and build me as an athlete but most importantly, my character as a person.

As in nature, as in the arts, so in grace; it is rough treatment that gives souls as well as stones their lustre; the more the diamond is cut the brighter it sparkles; and in what seems hard dealing, their God has no end in view but to perfect His people's graces. Our Father, and and kindest of fathers, He afflicts not willingly; He sends tribulations, but hear St Paul tell their purpose, - "Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope."

Conflicts bring experience and experience brings that growth in Grace which is not to be attained by any other means!

We develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and obstacles.

When I asked God for strength, He gave me difficult situations to face.

Adversity builds character and character takes you places money can't.

Trials are the soil in which faith flourishes.

There is no development of character without resistance, there is no growth of spirituality without overcoming.

The scar will remain, but it is better for a man to lose both arms than his soul; and these hard years, instead of being lost, may be made the most precious of your lives, if they teach you to rule yourselves.

Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everylasting benefit.

Suffering prepares you by training you to trust God and know that He is always at work in your life.

There is a certain kind of maturity that can be attained only through the discipline of suffering.

I've learned that every single trial offers us a chance to either turn away from what we know to be true, or to stand strong in who we are...

Grace grows best in winter.

When God wants to make a mushroom, he does it overnight, but when He wants to make a giant oak, He takes a hundred years. Great souls are grown through struggles and storms and seasons of suffering. Be patient with the process.