Thoughts on tough times:

"The effect of suffering upon us depends on what we love.
In any case, if we love ourselves, suffering inexorably brings out selfishness, and then, after making known what we are, drives us to make ourselves even worse than we are.
If we love God and love others in him, we will be glad to let suffering destroy anything in us that God is pleased to let it destroy, because we know that all it destroys is unimportant."

"In order to face suffering in peace:
Suffer without imposing on others a theory of suffering, without weaving a new philosophy of life from your own material plan, without proclaiming yourself a martyr, without counting out the price of your courage, without disdaining sympathy and without seeking too much of it.
In order to give glory to God and overcome suffering with the charity of Christ:
Suffer without reflection, without hate, suffer with no hope of revenge or compensation, suffer without being impatient for the end of suffering."
--Thomas Merton