As I was cleaning up my desk this past weekend, I came across the following article by Charles Spurgeon, taken from "From Lessons to My Students." It was intended for ministers and ministry students, but is actually helpful for all who may be experiencing a "dark night of the soul." Enjoy and be enriched.
The lesson of wisdom is, be not dismayed by soul-trouble. Count it no strange thing, but a part of ordinary ministerial experience. Should the power of depression be more than ordinary, think not that all is over with your usefulness. Cast not away your confidence, for it hath great recompense of reward. Even if the enemy’s foot be on your neck, expect to rise and overthrow him. Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord, who forsaketh not his saints. Live by the day—aye, by the hour. Put not trust in frames and feelings. Care more for a grain of faith than a ton of excitement.
Trust in God alone, and lean not on the reeds of human help. Be not surprised when friends fail you: it is a failing world. Never count upon immutability in man: inconsistency you may reckon upon without fear of disappointment. The disciples of Jesus forsook him; be not amazed if your adherents wander away to other teachers: as they were not your all when with you, all is not gone from you with their departure.
Serve God with all your might while the candle is burning, and then when it goes out for a season, you will have the less to regret. Be content to be nothing, for that is what you are. When your own emptiness is painfully forced upon your consciousness, chide yourself that you ever dreamed of being full, except in the Lord. Set small store by present rewards; be grateful for earnests by the way, but look for the recompensing joy hereafter. Continue with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you. Any simpleton can follow the narrow path in the light: faith’s rare wisdom enables us to march on in the dark with infallible accuracy, since she places her hand in that of her great Guide. Between this and heaven there may be rougher weather yet, but it is all provided for by our covenant Head.
In nothing let us be turned aside from the path which the divine call has urged us to pursue. Come fair or come foul, the pulpit is our watchtower, and the ministry our warfare; be it ours, when we cannot see the face of God, to trust under the shadow of his wings.
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Great comments of Surgeon's! I especially liked when he says, " Continue with double earnestness to serve your Lord when no visible result is before you"... It's definitely not the easy thing to do to daily take up your cross and follow Him, especially in the dark. Guess that's why we are called to "press on" and to encourage one another, because it's not always easy! I read something in my Beth Moore study that creates a nice visual that I like to remember... When the Lord surrounds us, as He surrounded the city of Jerusalem when there were no need for walls (psalms)... NOTHING reaches us before going through Him. Yes, it may be difficult stuff, but God isn't in the dark about it... Praise the Lord for that!! We don't serve a Savior that scratches His head and thinks, "well, I didn't see that coming!" He doesn't promise for everything to be easy, yet reminds us that we NEED Him, through the hard times and the good. Neat blog entry Dad! Really enjoyed it! :)
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