Scary thought

I ran across this on Hey Jules's blog.

That is why He warned people to 'count the cost' before becoming Christians. 'Make no mistake; He says, 'if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect-until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less.'
C.S. Lewis

I agree with her that it is one of the scariest things I've ever read. At the same time, it is the most comforting thing I've ever read outside of Scripture.

Why?

Because Lewis explains is a most understandable way the reason why.

This is why we suffer loss.
This is why we suffer conviction.
This is why we suffer pain from every direction in our lives.

It is the very reason why David suffered for so long after he was annointed and before he ascended to the throne that God had given him. David was God's choice for king. Saul was the people's choice.

David was honed, purified, fired, tested before he was entrusted with the kingdom. Yet, he still had words of bitterness just before he died. Amazing!