Exaltation is not grabbed. It is given by the Father...

"Exaltation is not grabbed.  It is given by the Father, in His Time and His way.
For some of us, it may be on the other side when we hear from Him, "Well done you
good and faithful servant." Fascinating isn't it, how many of us in spiritual leadership, program
our lives around ways in which exaltation can be gotten in our time and our way?
And when it never comes, we are discouraged and defeated.  A proper view of
 authentic Christianity is that it is not about the exaltation of ourselves, but about
the exaltation of Him.  It it not about building and gaining our kingdom but about the
advance of His Kingdom."  Joseph Stowell, Shepherding the Church into the 21st century,
Victor books,First Edition (1984) p.120)

"I began to look at God’s providential hand in our lives. As I sat by myself at my kitchen table, reading His Word, remembering that sermon, and praying in my faltering faith, I knew the greatest event in history still was at work in my heart.

I was still His child. I had not run from the cross. He was still enabling me to trust Him by faith. It was not a faith that said, “Everything will be okay.” It was a faith that said, “God is in control. If things are not okay, we will still follow.” I finally was able to accept God’s will, realizing that I may never fully understand why He has allowed a certain trial. But His plan is good, even if the reason for what He is doing seems to be none of my business. 

(Robyn Bloem, Coauthor of Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You're Losing It Kregel Publications, p. 81,

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