The experience gained in the furnace of trial and affliction is worth more than the inconvenience and painful experience it all costs. The prayers you offered in your loneliness, in your weariness and trial, God answered as you could bear it. You did not have clear and correct views of your brethren, neither did you see yourself in a correct light. But in the providence of God, He has been at work to answer the prayers you have offered in your distress in a way to save you and glorify His own name.
In your ignorance of yourself, you asked for things which were not the best for you. God hears your prayers of sincerity, but the blessing granted is something very different from your expectations. God designed to place you in His providence in connection with His church more directly, that your confidence should be less in yourself and greater in others whom He is leading out to extend His work. . . .
It is God that has led you through straight places. He had a purpose in this, that tribulation might work in you patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. The trials He permitted to come upon you were that through the exercise of these you would experience the peaceable fruits of righteousness. . . .
God would lead you through affliction and trials that you might have more perfect trust and confidence in Him and that you might think less of your own judgment. You can bear adversity better than prosperity. The all-seeing eye of Jehovah detected in you much dross that you considered gold and too valuable to throw away. The enemy's power over you had at times been direct and very strong. . . .
Your will must be molded by God's will or you will fall into grievous temptations. I saw that when you labor in God, putting self out of sight, you will realize a strength from God which will give you access to hearts. . . .
You are not always kindly, considerate of the feelings of others, and you create trials and dissatisfaction, all needlessly. More love in your labors, more kindly sympathy would give you access to hearts and win souls to Christ and the truth.--Letter 54, Oct. 24, 1874, to an early SDA minister. TDG 306
The answer to our prayers may not come as quickly as we desire, and it may not be just what we have asked; but He who knows what is for the highest good of His children will bestow a much greater good than we have asked, if we do not become faithless and discouraged. Pr 106
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 (New King James Version)