“God will not suffer you to
be tempted above that you are able to bear” (1 Cor. 10:13).
For a time the way seemed
easy,
Oh, my soul!
Peace and joy were all
unhindered,
Happy soul!
Little did I think that still
Lurked within my breast a
will
Which would soon with sorrow
fill
All my soul.
With the confidence of
childhood,
Thou, my soul,
Fearless in thy strength,
petitioned
[Poor, weak soul!]
That the Lord would
straightway
prove thee;
For I knew, Lord, Thou didst
love me,
And I thought that naught
could move
thee,
Oh, my soul!
Little knew I what I asked
for—
How would roll
Conflict after conflict over
Thee, my soul.
Peter-like, I loved my Lord;
But He took me at my word—
Sent a sharp and piercing
sword
Through my soul.
All-enticing came the
tempter,
Ah, my soul!
Fierce the struggle, in my
longing
To control
All my being for His Name.
Yielding, I was put to shame—
Found my treacherous heart
the same,
Faithless soul!
Ah! I never thought to grieve
Him
Who could save
My poor soul from lasting
ruin
And the grave.
But I did not know my heart—
That it was the counterpart
Of all others; but the dart
Pierced it well.
Sinned against the God who
loved me!
How I groan
Over that which brought Thee,
Saviour,
From the throne,
In Thy love, to die, to
bleed,
Live for me, and intercede!
Such surpassing grace,
indeed,
Lord, I own.
Weak and wavering, still thou
trustest,
Oh, my soul!
Christ thy strength—He will
sustain thee,
Fainting soul.
Let me all my weakness feel,
Then Thy strength Thou wilt
reveal—
By Thy might, in woe or weal,
All control.
Then Lord, ever, in
temptation
Let me plead
All Thy strength in all my
weakness,
For my need;
And beneath Thy sheltering
wing
All my heart’s deep trial
bring,
And Thou’lt teach me there to
sing
Praise indeed.
Such deep exercise as is
expressed in the above lines is not, as is frequently supposed, the result only
of some gross, outbreaking sin. What by many would be esteemed a small sin, has
often caused a sensitive soul the deepest anguish and severest self-judgment.
Would to God we had always a tender conscience about all sin! Sin is hateful
and hideous to God, in whatever shape or degree. We are apt to measure it by
its immediate consequences, or the disgrace attaching to it, such as
drunkenness, etc. But this is not God’s way. He would teach us, first, that all
sin is against Himself, against His holiness.
Every sin being the fruit
of our sinful nature, comes under the sentence of God’s wrath, even the cross
of Christ, and must needs come under the severest judgment of the believer, if
he would walk with God. He cannot go on with unholiness, however small it may
seem; and if we do not judge the first approach of sin, our consciences will
soon cease to be our faithful monitors, and who can tell to what lengths we may
go? Oh, to shudder at the very approach of sin! but alas, how easily we are
caught in the enemy’s trap, if the shield of faith is down!
May the Lord help us, that
we abuse not the grace of God, nor do despite to the cross of Christ, that we
may not have to weep the bitter tears of Peter, nor cry with David, in his
sorrow and humiliation, “Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned!” (Psa. 51:4).
Yet, if we will have our own way, He lets us have the sorrow of it. But blessed
is he who, through the discipline thus incurred, reaps the peaceable fruits of
righteousness.
(From Help and Food,
Vol. 13.)