God is in the refining business.  He is not in the entertainment or pleasure-cruise business.  Not that He objects to pleasure cruises or any other diversion that helps us survive our stressful lives.  But the purpose of such times of rest and respite is to prepare us for the tough times ahead.  They are not an end in themselves.  I have never changed a bad habit or strengthened any component of my character while vacationing or having fun.  This is not fun’s purpose.  But it is tribulation’s purpose.

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
    where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
    that the way down is the way up,
    that to be low is to be high,
    that the broken heart is the healed heart,
    that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
    that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
    that to have nothing is to possess all,

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord in the daytime stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
    and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;

Let me find they light in my darkness,
    thy life in my death,
    thy joy in my sorrow,
    thy grace in my sin,
    thy riches in my poverty,
    thy glory in my valley.