Struggles in Life? God is Faithful!

Struggles in life are not a matter of ‘if they will happen’, but when.  Undoubtedly you have had days when it seems nothing goes right and everything is going wrong.  Whether your car broke down, you’ve fought with your best friend, or your only credit card was just rejected…we all have struggles in life.  Perhaps we find that there’s more in the words as we sing, “Troublesome times are here”.  We know we’ll face trials but the question comes in how you will deal with these struggles.  What will be your attitude and how will you react when you faced with difficulties; large or small?

If you are honest with yourself there are really only a couple of choices you will make as you face any of these struggles.  You might decide you have to bear down and work harder to ‘turning things around’.  Or you might become despondent and give up all together.  But are these my only choices?  Is there any other way to face ‘trials dark on every hand’?  Consider with me another option (yes, an old hymn) as you face difficult times.

William Cow­per was a song writer in the late 1700’s.  He oft­en strug­gled with self-doubt and deep de­press­ion.  It was reported that one night, in the dregs of depression he decided he would end his life.  He determined that he would com­mit su­i­cide by drown­ing him­self.  In his despair he called for a cab (horse and buggy) and instructed the driv­er to take him to the Thames Riv­er.  How­ev­er, in the thickness of the fog the driver was pre­vent­ed from find­ing the riv­er.  (Ano­ther ver­sion of this story is told in that the driv­er, aware of Cowper’s fit’s with depression, deliberately got lost.)  Nevertheless, after driv­ing for a while, the cab­by fin­al­ly brought the carriage to a stop and let Cow­per out.  To his sur­prise, Cowper found him­self back home, on his own door­step.  From his view point, and in his darkest of hours, God had sent the fog to preserve his life.

Could this be my ‘other option,’ to just wait for God to intervene and step into my life?  Part of this is true; God will step in and intervene in our life during our struggles.  But we must never be content to ‘just drive around in a fog’ expecting God to just take us home.  He will bring us home, but only after we have given Him our lives.  God sincerely cares for us, even in our black­est mo­ments, the knowledge that He is watch­ing over us will strengthen our life in Christ; but God expects us to daily move closer to Him.  Read the words written by William Cowper following that foggy night.  Take notice of verse 3 & 5 and realize struggles come.  Praise be to God…He is faithful!

1) God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

2) Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

3) Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

4) Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

5) His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

6) Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

Sing to Me Again!

“O Lord, I thought the day would never come; when I could lay my burden’s down and walk with you.  And this morning as I greet the rising sun, the fondest of my dreams have all come true.  The greatest friend you’ll ever find is on a lonely mountain.  The highest high you’ll ever reach is when you kneel to pray.  The brightest light you’ll ever see is when you close your eyes.   O Lord, You are my first love and at last I realize.”

Sung by a young group of 13-19 year old teens, this ‘spiritual song’ encouraged my friends and me during the early mornings of our annual summer camp.  To the best of my knowledge, Camp Blue Haven still meets during the summer months in the mountains outside of Las Vegas, New Mexico.  I doubt if this song is still a favorite at CBH, but the memories and friendships that we formed there in the late 1970’s will be treasured for the rest of my life.

What about you; do you remember songs from the earlier years of your life?  The quiet evenings as you sat around the living room and sang as a family.  Or perhaps you were blessed to have a mother who would ‘sing you to sleep’.  Some of my fondest memories are hearing my mother sing as she busied herself in the kitchen.  With the window open and the sound of her “Doris Day” voice floating out into the back yard, I can still hear, “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee…How great Thou Art“.  If you don’t have memories like these it’s not too late to make them for those you love.

My wife and I made it a point to sing to our children in their early years, as they were going to sleep.  After they were tucked in, the lights were out and our prayers had been said; Vicki or I would sing to the kids.  That was almost 10 years ago (some how they learned to go to sleep without our songs), but one old hymn stills brings memories of days gone by.  Written one hundred years ago by Austin Miles, my grandmother began this early tradition that was passed on to our children.  As she rocked, I can still hear her sing, “I Come to the Garden Alone”.

Regardless the song or the number of years that have gone by, our minds race back to an earlier time when we found comfort in the words of heaven and peace and God.  Even if you’ve never had the peace that comes from a melodious past, you can always lay your burden down and walk with God.  When you do you too can say, “…the greatest friend you’ll ever find is on a lonely mountain…”