The Difficulties of the Way [Leaflets]

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“Consider well Him who endured so great contradiction from sinners against Himself, that ye be not weary, fainting in your minds” (Heb. 12:3 JND).

O Lord, through tribulation
Our pilgrim journey lies,
Through scorn and sore temptation,
And watchful enemies;
Midst never-ceasing dangers
We through the desert roam,
As pilgrims here and strangers,
We seek the rest to come.

O Lord, Thou too once hasted
This weary desert through,
Once fully tried and tasted
Its bitterness and woe.
And hence Thy heart is tender
In truest sympathy,
Though now the heavens render
All praise to Thee on high.

J. G. Deck

Have we that faith which so realizes Christ’s presence so as to keep us as calm and composed in the rough sea as the smooth? It was not really a question of the rough or the smooth sea when Peter was sinking in the water, for he would have sunk without Christ just as much in the smooth as in the rough sea. The fact was that the eye was off Jesus and on the wave, and that made him sink. If we go on with Christ, we shall get into all kinds of difficulty — many a boisterous sea — but being one with Him, His safety is ours.

If a storm arises and if Christ appears asleep and insensible to the danger —though “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” — as disciples we are in the same boat with Him. The Lord give us to rest on that with undivided, undistracted hearts, for Christ is in the boat as well as the water.

The nearer we are to God, the more we want strength to walk there.

“In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?” (Psa. 11:1). Fear and unbelief would urge flight, as a bird, away from the scene to a place of refuge and human security. Faith looks higher: “In Jehovah have I put my trust.”

“And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus” (Matt. 14:29). This walk has no other foundation than “If it be Thou” —that is to say, Jesus Himself. There is no support — no possibility of walking — if Christ be lost sight of. All depends on Him.

Now it solves every difficulty to ask, not what harm is there in doing this or that, but why am I doing it? Is it for God or myself?

God “is able to do exceeding abundantly .  .  . according to the power that worketh in us.” This is what we are to look for now. Has your heart got hold of this?  .  .  .  How little faith there is in the power of God! .  .  .  I never can think of a power of evil that is not below His power.

The Christian cannot be in a difficulty that Christ is not sufficient for, nor on a long, dark road where he cannot find Him enough.

We may pass through strait and difficult places, but He is not the less faithful; only let us look to Him, and He is there, even when He seems to forsake us, in order to put faith to the proof and to make us known to ourselves.

There is a God above all adverse circumstances and undesirable influences. And our path for power is in letting patience have its perfect work. .    .    . Trust Him. He has power to work where we least expect it.