Grief, Trust, When God is Silent, Words of Endurance

For people of faith, the bleak and barren times when we feel overwhelmed by Gods silence are rarely fruitless. Those who have endured suffering and have struggled to hear God’s voice or to feel His presence in the midst of it, usually find an unexpected prize. Listen for a moment to the testimonies of two such sojourners as they proclaim the truth that shines through the silence.

For feelings come and feelings go,
And feelings are deceiving;
My warrant is the Word of God,
Naught else is worth believing.

Through all my heart should feel condemned
For want of some sweet token,
There is One greater than myheart
Whose word cannot be broken.

I’ll trust in God’s unchanging Word
‘Till soul and body sever,
For, Though all things shall pass away,
His Words shall stand forever.
Martin Luther

Let me tell you about myself. When I suffer, I can never see an end to my trials. And when relief comes, I am so suspicious that the suffering is not really over that I hesitate to accept my rest. It seems to me that to accept both “good” and “bad” seasons alike is to be truly fruitful. Accept both comfort and correction from the hand of God.

Of course, this is all very easy for me to say to you, but I want you to know that I cringe at the very thought of the cross coming to work in me. I am not telling you that experiencing the cross will be easy. Outwardly it will be difficult, but inwardly it can be worse – a time of agone and dryness. If I sound a bit pessimistic, it is because I am writing to you in the midst of a spiritual dry spell. I don’t know what tomorrow brings. God will do what seems good to Him. Sometimes what He wants is hard to accept. Listen to God – there is true freedom, peace, and joy in Him.

FENELON
Reprinted from The Seeking Heart, by Fenelon. Used by permission of SeedSowers Publishing.