A Christian whose soul is in a healthy state

What Christian lived without ever experiencing troubles of one kind or another?

Our family has had a difficult couple of weeks. The eagerly anticipated first child of our son and daughter-in-law was still-born.

Of much lower level, during the last two weeks, my wife and I have traveled hundreds of kilometres to help our daughter move house, organizing and doing errands she was unable to attend to, whilst she settled into her new position as a bank manager in Brisbane. Never-the-less, very tiring on old bodies.

Yet, these things are so very minor compared to the struggles many brethren are suffering as evil people kill, torture, imprison and persecute them.

We, who live in such comfort and affluence, still complain bitterly about our light afflictions, and our suffering brethren keep on keeping on. We argue and fight about issues of such small consequence and forget the weightier matters.

Charles Spurgeon was spot on when he commented on Psalm 126:3 "The Lord has done great things for us, of which we are glad."

Some Christians are sadly prone to look on the dark side of everything, and to dwell more upon what they have gone through than upon what God has done for them. Ask for their impression of the Christian life, and they will describe their continual conflicts, their deep afflictions, their sad adversities, and the sinfulness of their hearts, yet with scarcely any allusion to the mercy and help which God has vouchsafed them. But a Christian whose soul is in a healthy state, will come forward joyously, and say, "I will speak, not about myself, but to the honour of my God. He hath brought me up out of an horrible pit, and out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings: and he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad." Such an abstract of experience as this is the very best that any child of God can present. It is true that we endure trials, but it is just as true that we are delivered out of them. It is true that we have our corruptions, and mournfully do we know this, but it is quite as true that we have an all-sufficient Saviour, who overcomes these corruptions, and delivers us from their dominion. In looking back, it would be wrong to deny that we have been in the Slough of Despond, and have crept along the Valley of Humiliation, but it would be equally wicked to forget that we have been through them safely and profitably; we have not remained in them, thanks to our Almighty Helper and Leader, who has brought us "out into a wealthy place." The deeper our troubles, the louder our thanks to God, who has led us through all, and preserved us until now. Our griefs cannot mar the melody of our praise, we reckon them to be the bass part of our life's song, "He hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad."