Devotional #28

Please bear with me. :) Do to the fact that we're so very busy because of our vacation (which was wonderful; more about that later), I will not be writing my own devotional for today. Nevertheless, I think this devotional will truly be a rich blessing for you! It is written by the late Charles H. Spurgeon, who was an amazing preacher, author, and Scripture exigete from the 1800s. The following devotional can be found in his devotional book, Morning by Morning, which I very highly recommend!! This beautiful devotional shows us so eloquently just how very important it is that we trust our Lord. We must trust Him, and know that He has a truly wonderul plan for our lives-better than we could possibly hope for!

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If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

~1 Peter 2:3

Changeful experience often leads the anxious believer to enquire "Why is it thus with me?" I looked for light, but lo, darkness came; for peace, but behold trouble. I said in my heart, my mountain standeth firm, I shall never be moved. Lord, Thou dost hide Thy face, and I am troubled. It was but yesterday that I could read my title clear; today my evidences are bedimmed, and my hopes are clouded. Yesterday I could clime to Pisgah's top, and view the landscape o'er, and rejoice with confidence in my future inheritance; today, my spirit has no hopes, but many fears; no joys, but much distress. Is this part of God's plan with me? Can this be the way in which God would bring me to heaven? Yes, it is even so. The eclipse of your faith, the darkness of your mind, the fainting of your hope, all these things are but parts of God's method of making you ripe for the great inheritance upon which you shall soon enter. These trials are for the testing and stregthening of your faith-they are waves that wash you further upon the rock-they are winds that waft your ship the more swiftly towards the desired haven. According to David's words, so it might be said of you, "so he bringeth them to their desired haven." By honor and dishonor, by evil report and by good report, by plenty and by poverty, by joy and by distress, by persecution and by peace, by all these things is the life of your soul maintained, and by each of these are you helped on your way. Oh, think not, believer, that your sorrows are out of God's plan; they are necessary parts of it. "We must, through much tribulation, enter the kingdom." Learn, then, even to "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."

"O let my trembling soul be still,

And wait Thy wise, Thy holy will!

I cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see,

Yet all is well since ruled by Thee."

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I just love that beautiful poem at the end, don't you? :) It's so comforting and encouraging. I encourage you to memorize it, as I know it would be of such encouragement and strength to you, especially in times of trial!

God bless you all, dear ladies!