Stony Places to Soft Soil - Charles Spurgeon

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Stony Places to Soft Soil

From:THE QUOTABLE SPURGEON
by Charles Spurgeon

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.… Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 51:1-2, 10-12


In preparing places for planting new trees, the diggers found it necessary in certain spots to lay aside the spade and use the pick-axe. In those positions there had been a well-graveled carriage road, and hence the ground was hard to deal with.
How often, when we are under sanctifying influences, do we find certain hard points of our character which are not touched by ordinary influences. These are most probably sins in which we have become hardened, tracks worn by habitual transgression. We must not wonder if the severest processes of affliction should be tried upon us, if the pick-axe is used instead of the spade, that our stony places may yet yield soil for the plants of grace and holiness.