Removal And Reward

Octava utilitas tribulationis est, quod Deus excludendo terrena solatia quae sunt inferius, cogit quaerere coelestia, quae sunt superius. Sicut terrenus dominus, qui vult vendere vinum suum, prohibet ne aliquis audeat tabernam suam aperire, donec vendiderit vinum suum; sic Deus aliquando excludit solatia terrena, ut conferat coelestia, quae sunt sua. Hoc signficatum est in Joele, ubi dicitur: Bestiae agri quasi area sitiens suspexerunt te: quoniam excaecati sunt fontes aquarum. Bestias agri appellat affectiones et desideria carnalia. Fontes aquarum vocat mundana solatia ; quando ergo siccantur fontes aquarum, id est, quando deficiunt solatia mundana in adversitatibus, tunc cogitur cor respicere superius et quaerere largitorem solatiorum et praemiorum coelestium; unde tanto est Dominus corde benignior, quanto cor in exterioribus majores reperit amaritudines. Sed posses dicere, de hoc non contristor, quia taberna solatiorum mundanorum non est mihi aperta, sed de hoc quod taberna solatiorum supernorum est mihi clausa, quia nec inferius nec superius invenio solatium. Ad hoc respondetur, quod per hoc, quod solatia mundana interdicta tibi sunt, non habebis coelestia, nisi prius redieris ad cor tuum desiderando et quaerendo Deum et superna. Vult enim Deus hoc, quia majus meritum consistit in desiderando et quaerendo Dominum, quam delectando totaliter in ipso et propter ipsum. Similiter quanto ferventius eum desideraveris et quaesieris, tanto majus solatium tibi conferetur, et majorem in eo invenies dulcedinem. Sicut famelico sapit aliquid melius quam non famelico: Et scies quod non diu differentur caelestia solatia, si per tribulationem fuerint exclusa terrena, si ardentei petieris et quaesieris, licet videntur differri, sicut dicit Salomon, desiderium suum justo dabit. Petrus Blenensis, De Utilitate Tribulationum Source:  Migne PL 207.1001c-1002b

The eighth usefulness of tribulation is that when God removes all comforts of worldly things, which are below, He compels one to seek heavenly things, which are above. As a lord of the world who wishes to sell his wine, prohibits anyone from opening his tavern, until he has sold his wine, so sometimes God removes all worldly comforts from us, that it bring us to heavenly things, which are His own. And this has been signified in Joel, when it is said: 'The beasts of the field, like a thirsty land, look up to you, because the springs of water are all dry.' 1 The carnal desires and affections he names the beasts of the field. The springs of water are worldly comforts. When, therefore, the springs of water are dry, that is, when worldly comforts perish in adversities, then the heart is forced to look to higher things and to seek greater comforts and the heavenly rewards, whence as much as the Lord is more kindly in heart, the more the heart finds exterior things bitter. You may say: 'I do not grieve because of this, that a tavern of mundane comforts is not open to me, but because the tavern of supernal comforts is closed to me; I find no comfort in things below or above.' To this I answer: that because of this, that worldly comforts are prohibited to you, nor shall you have heavenly things, unless first you shall turn your heart to desiring and seeking God and greater things. For God wishes this: that there be greater merit in desiring and seeking the Lord, than in the delight in Him and through Him. Similarly the more fevently you desire and seek Him, so much greater shall be the comfort bestowed, and you shall have greater sweetness in it. So a hungry man knows something better than a man who is not hungry. And you shall know that heavenly comforts are not delayed for long, when by tribulation worldly things are excluded, if ardently you seek and search, though there may seem to be delay, for as Soloman says: 'He shall give the righteous man his desire.' 2 Peter of Blois, On The Usefulness of Tribulations 1 Joel 1.20 2 Prov 10.24