"The Lord’s appointments, to those who fear Him, are not only sovereign, but wise and gracious. He has connected their good with His own glory, and is engaged, by promise, to make all things work together for their advantage.
He chooses for His people better than they could choose for themselves; if they are in heaviness, there is a need-be for it, and He withholds nothing from them but what upon the whole it is better they should be without. Thus the Scriptures teach, and thus we profess to believe.
Furnished with these principles, we are at no loss to suggest motives of patience and consolation to our brethren that are afflicted; we can assure them, without hesitation, that if they are interested in the promises, their concerns are in safe hands; that the things which at present are not joyous but grievous, shall in due season yield the peaceful fruits of righteousness, and that their trials are as certainly mercies as their comforts.
We can prove to them, from the history of Joseph, David, Job, and other instances recorded in Scriptures, that, notwithstanding any present dark appearances, it shall certainly be well with the righteous; that God can and will make crooked things straight; and that He often produces the greatest good from those events which we are apt to look upon as evil."
(John Newton: More Than a Calvinist)
"We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed..." 2 Cor 4:8-9
Much needed words this week!!! Thanks for the post. :)
ReplyDeletereread and needed it!
ReplyDeleteChristie, I read and re-read this about 15 years ago and memorized most of it. I cannot tell you how many times the Lord has brought the words to my mind at a much needed moment. Last Wednesday, when I got off the phone with you, it popped in my head again. Thanks to Google, I was able to find it and paste it on my blog. I was hoping it would be an encouragement to you, as well as my other readers. No matter what your situation, what a comfort it is to serve a sovereign, gracious Lord!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that I should read this post today.
ReplyDeleteI was praying with a young girl who was doing a monologue, and her teacher had read the instructions wrong and didn't realize that the students needed to write their own pieces. The poor girl had one week to write and memorize a new piece. As I prayed with her I thanked God for her circumstance because I knew that it had happened for her good.
Then she performed her monologue and it was all about believing that no matter how bad the situation may look, God is in control and will work it out to the good in our lives. It was like the Lord was really speaking this point into that young girl's life.