In Mere Christianity, book four chapter nine, the christian life may begin as a smooth ride but why must we not be surprised when we are in for a rough time?
God needs to push us in order to make us stronger. It is only through hard times that we can truly understand the nature of His word.
These things, he feels, might have been necessary to rouse him and make him repent in his bad old days; but why now? Because God is forcing him on, or up, to a higher level: putting him into situations where he will have to be very much braver, or more patient, or more loving, than he ever dreamed of being before. It seems to us all unnecessary: but that is because we have not yet had the slightest notion of the tremendous thing He means to make of us.
