Ben

“Butterflies need the struggle of emerging from the cocoon to invigorate their wings with blood. Without the struggle, they can never fully unfold their wings. They will never fly.”
― Chap Bettis, Launch: Biblical Help for Moving Your Teen or Young Adult into the Real World

“His resurrection from the dead declares once and for all that Jesus is unstoppable. The power the risen, glorified Christ now wields is “the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). In fact, as Peter came to know, and to preach at Pentecost, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). As Paul wrote to the Romans, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him” (Romans 6:9).”
― David Mathis, Rich Wounds: The Countless Treasures of the Life, Death, and Triumph of Jesus

“Therefore bread was created for the glory of Christ. Hunger and thirst were created for the glory of Christ. And fasting was created for the glory of Christ.
Which means that bread magnifies Christ in two ways: by being eaten with gratitude for his goodness, and by being forfeited out of hunger for God himself. When we eat, we taste the emblem of our heavenly food—the Bread of Life. And when we fast we say, “I love the Reality above the emblem.” In the heart of the saint both eating and fasting are worship. Both magnify Christ.”
― John Piper, A Hunger for God

“Glory follows afflictions, not as the day follows the night but as the spring follows the winter; for the winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory.”
― Richard Sibbes