Everything is possible for him who believes. (Mark 9:23)
The most difficult ingredient of suffering is often time. A short, sharp pain is easily endured, but when a sorrow drags on year after monotonous year, returning day after day with the same dull routine of hopeless agony, the heart loses its strength. Without the grace of God, the heart is sure to sink into dismal despair.
God is never in a hurry. He spends years preparing those He plans to greatly use, and never thinks of the days of preparation as being too long or boring.
Today we may be unable to see the final outcome of the beautiful plan that God has hidden “in the shadow of his hand” (Isa. 49:2).
It may be concealed for a very long time, but our faith may rest in the assurance that God is still seated on His throne. Because of this assurance, we can calmly await the time when, in heavenly delight, we will say, “All things [have] work[ed] together for good” (Rom. 8:28 KJV).
Passive faith accepts the Word as true— But never moves.
Active faith begins the work to do, And thereby proves.
Passive faith says, “I believe it! every word of God is true. Well I know He has not spoken what He cannot, will not, do.
He has instructed me,‘Go forward!’ but a closed-up way I see, When the waters are divided, soon in Canaan’s land I’ll be.
Lo!I hear His voice commanding,‘Rise and walk: take up your bed’; And, ‘Stretch to Me your withered hand!’ which for so long has been dead.
When I am a little stronger, then, I know I’ll surely stand: When there comes a thrill of healing, I will use with ease my reclaimed hand.
Yes, I know that ‘God is able’ and full willing all to do: I believe that every promise, sometime, will to me come true.”
Active faith says, “I believe it! and the promise now I take, Knowing well, as I receive it, God, each promise, real will make.
So I step into the waters, finding there an open way; Onward press, the land possessing; nothing can my progress stay.
Yes, I rise at His commanding, walking straight, and joyfully: This, my hand so sadly shriveled, as I reach, restored will be.
What beyond His faithful promise, would I wish or do I need? Looking not for ‘signs or wonders,’ I’ll no contradiction heed.
Well I know that ‘God is able,’ and full willing all to do: I believe that every promise, at this moment can come true.”
Passive faith but praises in the light, When sun does shine. Active faith will praise in darkest night— Which faith is thine?
-selected from “Streams in The Desert”
Indeed many times I have given it up in my heart. It became so difficult that I could go no further, so I gave up. It was not, therefore, my persistence that enabled me to go on, but what the Apostle calls "the power that worketh in us."
What is that? The Holy Spirit has put a dynamic in us and we have seen. We cannot un-see! We cannot go back.
His eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. (Mark 8:25)
The seeing may fade, and it may even be eclipsed by days of darkness and trouble. We may know what Paul meant when he said: "We were pressed out of measure, beyond our strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life" (2 Corinthians 1:8).
That was a terrible thing for the greatest of all apostles to say! What happened? Did Paul give up and say: "Well, I cannot go on!"? No, not at all! "The power that worketh in us" got him on his feet again and again. Let Elijah seek out his juniper tree and say: "Take away my life!", but the Lord does not agree. He has given Elijah a part in His great, eternal purpose, and so he will come up again. Don’t steal tomorrow from God’s hands. Give Him time to speak to you and reveal His will. He is never late—learn to wait.
