The Lord our Saviour throughout His entire life upon the earth was seeking to impress His own divine image in His character upon us. He is our sin bearer, and He would help you to carry His cross in service and in trial. He is close beside you, trying to have you realize how sorry He is for you when you make mistakes, and He is always ready to seize hold of the hand that is reached out to Him for help. Bear in mind always that it is not merely a human sympathy, a human heart that draws us by the cords of His love, but it is a love that is divine, that blends with the love of the human agent. “Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” [Isaiah 53:4.] How? By entering into them and making them His own. Then set God ever before you as your Saviour and Friend. By beholding your Saviour you catch His divine likeness, imbibe His temper, and are imbued with His love.
{12LtMs, Lt 149a, 1897, par. 21}
“Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me.” [Verse 29.] What are the conditions?—We have to bear the cross. Every morning we are to inquire, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” [Acts 9:6.]” {4LtMs, Ms 36, 1885, par. 28} 
“Severe trial endured by the grace of God develops patience, vigilance, fortitude, and a deep and abiding trust in God. It is the triumph of the Christian faith that it enables its followers to suffer and be strong; to submit, and thus to conquer; to be killed all the day long, and yet to live; to bear the cross, and thus to win the crown of glory.” {AA 467.3} 
Do we trust the Lord or complain? 
The Lord will let us have our way since we have freedom of choice. 
“Even in the night of affliction, how can we refuse to lift heart and voice in grateful praise, when we remember the love to us expressed by the cross of Calvary?” {BEcho January 1, 1888, par. 5} 
“Jesus says: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” {ST August 4, 1890, par. 4} 
“When you are deeply shadowed, it is because Satan has interposed himself between you and the bright rays of the Sun of righteousness. … We complain of the way and withdraw the hand from the hand of Christ. But sometimes God’s favor breaks suddenly upon the soul, and the gloom is dispelled. Let us live in the sunlight of the cross of Calvary. Let us no longer dwell in the shadow, complaining of our sorrows, for this only deepens our trouble.” {2MCP 811.1} 
“Will fallen man murmur because heaven can be obtained only by conflict, self-abasement, and toil?” {3T 480.3} 
At times, we think our way will be accepted by the Lord. We praise and thank Him more in times of ease instead of bowing before Him in time of need. 
There are the faithful few who never complain. How about you? 
“Those who educate themselves to look on the dark side, and murmur and complain, know not what they do. They are sowing the seeds of doubt, and they will have a harvest of doubt to reap.” {DA 807.5} 
“The spirit of unkindness, of pomposity, of complaining, is not the manner of spirit that will find an entrance into the kingdom of heaven.” {ST July 25, 1892, par. 11} 
“The precious hours of probation will have passed by unimproved, and when it is too late the mournful cry will be heard, The harvest is passed, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved.” {2LtMs, Lt 27, 1871, par. 8} 
Every follower of Christ will have a cross to bear; and when he takes it up resolutely, though in weakness and trembling, he will find that that which seemed so terrible to him is a source of strength and blessing and courage. It will be a staff to him to help him on in his weary pilgrimage through this earth. Then shall the professed follower of Christ drop his cross, and seek to please those who are deriding his Lord? Shall he, for fear he will not receive honor of men, reject and despise the cross of Christ?
{RH April 17, 1894, par. 6}
Many regard us as the unbelieving Jews regarded Paul,—as trying to press our views upon the attention of others. But can we be too urgent in bringing the light of life before perishing men? If we have the most solemn truth ever given to the world, why should we not be in earnest? Why should we not use every endeavor to persuade men to lift the cross, to bear the reproach for Christ’s sake, that they may have eternal life?
{RH July 7, 1891, par. 8}
“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” [James 4:8.] He came to take away our sins. He came to give us His righteousness and make us complete in Him. We cannot, any one of us, aside from Christ improve ourselves, or be a blessing to others, only through the merits of the blood of a crucified and risen Saviour. We each have our cross to bear; but let us bear it after Jesus, feeling highly honored to follow Him, and sing as we go, “Jesus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and follow Thee.” Follow where Jesus leads the way. “The rains may descend, and the floods may come, and the winds may blow, and may beat upon that house; but the house will not fall, for it is founded upon the rock.” [See Matthew 7:25.]
{10LtMs, Lt 32, 1895, par. 8}
The cause of God is in great need of earnest men, men who abound in zeal, hope, faith, and courage. It is not self-willed men who can meet the demands for this time, but men who are in earnest. We have too many sensitive ministers who are feeble in experience, deficient in the Christian graces, lacking in consecration, and are easily discouraged; who are earnest to gratify their own wills and are persevering in their efforts to accomplish their own selfish purposes. Such men will not fill the demands for this time. We need men in these last days who are ever awake. Minutemen are wanted who are sincere in their love for the truth and willing to labor at a sacrifice if they can advance the cause of God and save precious souls. Men are wanted in this work who will not murmur or complain at hardships or trials, knowing that this is a part of the legacy that Jesus has left them. They should be willing to go without the camp and suffer reproach and bear burdens as good soldiers of Christ. They will bear the cross of Christ without complaint, without murmuring or fretfulness, and will be patient in tribulation.
{3T 423.1}
