فصل 21

CHAPTER 21

It Is Well with My Soul

Have you ever noticed that it is in the difficult times that we grow stronger? That’s when we are being stretched. That’s when God is developing our character and preparing us for promotion.

We may not like it; stretching can sometimes be uncomfortable. But if we can keep the right attitude, we will come out better than we were before.

The key to passing the test is to remain in peace, at rest. When you’re in peace, you have power. When you’re at rest, God can fight your battles for you. Many people wear themselves out, frustrated because they don’t have the job they want, upset because a child won’t do right, worried over a health problem. No, turn all that over to God and be willing to go through tough times with a good attitude.

In Colossians, chapter 3, Paul prayed that the people would have the strength to endure whatever came their way. Think about that. The great Apostle Paul didn’t pray that God would remove every difficulty. He didn’t pray that God would deliver them instantly. He prayed that they’d have the strength to go through it.

Sometimes we pray, “God, you’ve got to get me out of this situation today. I can’t stand it any longer. If it goes on another week, I’m not going to make it.” But a better way to pray is, “Father, please give me the strength to go through this with a good attitude. Help me to keep my joy. Help me to keep my peace.” Our circumstances are not going to change until we change.

But you may say, “It is so difficult. I have a serious health problem. And I have this situation at work—” No, you have the power of the Most High God on the inside of you. You can withstand anything that comes your way. You are more than a conqueror, a victor and not a victim. Sure, we’d all love God to deliver us instantly. Most of the time, though, that’s not the way He works. Make a decision to turn the situation over to God and then stop worrying about it. Don’t allow it to dominate your thoughts and words; instead, move to that place of peace and rest. Even though the situation may be hard, and you may not like it, you are growing.

When you’re fighting against everything that isn’t going your way. You’re trying to change things that only God can change. When God is not moving in the situation, either it is not the right time, or He is doing a work in you. Center your mind in that place of peace where you can truly say, “All right, Father; not my will but Yours.” When you understand this principle, it makes life so much easier. You won’t live frustrated because your plans didn’t work out. You don’t have to be disappointed for a month because you didn’t get the promotion you wanted. You don’t have to get upset because somebody is being unfair to you. You know that God is in control and He has you exactly where He wants you. As long as you keep trusting Him, God is going to fight your battles for you. That’s what it says in the book of Exodus, chapter 14. “If you will remain at rest and hold your peace, then the battle is not yours, but the battle is the Lord’s.”

Sometimes we can get so consumed with our dreams or overcoming an obstacle, that’s all we think about, talk about, and pray about, and we’re not going to be happy unless it comes to pass exactly the way we want it. That leads to frustration, and if we’re not careful, possibly to resentment. When you sense that happening, you must get back to that place of rest and peace where you can honestly say, “God, I trust You. I believe that You know what’s best for me. And God, even if this doesn’t work out the way I want, I’m not going to be unhappy. I’m not going to let this ruin the rest of my life. I’m making a decision that I’m going to be content right where You have me today.”

One of my favorite stories in church history is that of Horatio G. Spafford, a wealthy lawyer and businessman who lived back in the 1800s. Spafford’s story is not the success story, however, that we seek nowadays. In fact, he encountered horrendous tragedy in his life. His wife and four daughters were on a ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean when the vessel collided with another ship, and all four Spafford daughters lost their lives along with more than two hundred other people. Spafford’s wife sent a telegram informing her husband of the terrible news.

Horatio Spafford booked passage across the Atlantic Ocean to be reunited with his grieving wife. At one point, the captain notified him that they were passing the spot where he believed Spafford’s daughters had died. Horatio Spafford stared solemnly at the rolling waves, and that night he wrote the words to what would become a beloved hymn of the Christian faith: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, You have taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.” No matter what comes our way in life, we need to be able to say, “It is well with my soul. Life may have thrown me some curves, but it is well with my soul. All my dreams may not have come to pass just yet, that’s okay. I’m not in a hurry. I know in God’s timing they will.

Psalm 55:22 says: “Cast your burdens on the Lord. Release the weight of them and God will sustain you.” No matter how dark and gloomy it looks in your life right now, if you can release the weight of those burdens, you will rise higher and you will see the sun break forth in your life once again.