There are two things commanded in this life by the Lord: restraint and endurance. We are told to restrain ourselves during the good times of life and to endure the bad times. Just as it is the task of restraint not to be attached to the good times of life, so the task of endurance is to survive bravely the bad times. Whether at present we “never had it so good” or “never had it so bad” we must continue to look forward to the coming of the Lord who will give us what is truly good and pleasant and protect us from what is truly evil.

—Augustine, Sermon 38.1