God Often Hides His Face

God often hides His face from us, and postpones His help, only that
we may pray more earnestly.  The more success the ungodly have in
their heart's desire, the less they care for God.  Pride and haughtiness
make the ungodly so unreasonable that they do not inquire after man
or God, and they regard all wholesome reflection as folly.  The security
and dissoluteness of man receive their support, in not reflecting upon
the judgments of God.  If an ungodly man believes in the word of God,
he must likewise believe that his fall is near, that it will surely come. 
Since however he does not believe this, he must likewise regard the
word of God as lies.  The ungodly make lies their refuge and hypocrisy
their shelter; but the curse reaches them.  To deny Divine providence is
to blaspheme against God.  When God begins to search after wickedness,
then everything must come out; for God sees even into the most secret
corners.  As long as the enemies of Christ are unable to cast Him down
from His throne of glory, His Church will remain in spite of all the devils.
                                                             Starke